Chemical concern forces school evacuation

Around 100 students at a Colorado Springs high school were temporarily evacuated on Friday because of concern about a possible chemical spill.

The incident happened just before 11:30 a.m. at Aspen Valley High School on Chapel Hills Drive on the city’s northeast side. The school is an alternative school in Academy District 20.

Principal George Stone said someone in a science room discovered a corroded lock on a cabinet used to store chemicals. As a precaution, the fire department’s Haz-Mat team responded and the students were taken to the school district office a block away.

Fortunately, no one was hurt and authorities found there was no danger.

“The corrosion that they saw wasn’t the result of a chemical spill,” said Stone. “It was the result of a condition that, over time, caused the lock to corrode.”

Stone said the incident gave the school an opportunity to practice an emergency drill under real-life conditions. He said he was pleased with how students responded.

The evacuation ended just before 1 p.m.