Local school closes early because of carbon monoxide leak

Pikes Peak Christian School in Colorado Springs school did not have carbon monoxide detectors when an accumulation of the dangerous gas forced an evacuation Thursday.

According to parents and school director Matt Johns, a janitor noticed a strong odor in the elementary/middle school wing before the 7:30 a.m. start of classes.

The school determined the problem was caused by a faulty furnace exhaust valve that broke under the weight of snow, Johns said.

Johns said school staff moved the students to another location in the building but ultimately decided to send all 265 students home after Colorado Springs Utilities and the Colorado Springs Fire Department measured high levels of carbon monoxide.

About 55 faculty and staff also went home for the day.

“CSU found levels at 60 parts per million,” said Lt. Mike Lazor, of the fire department. “We found levels at 20 parts (per million). But even at that level, we were worried about young kids who are more vulnerable. I didn’t want them in there.”

Firefighters also conducted blood tests on several people who complained of headaches and nausea.

“But we didn’t find anything concerning there,” Lazor said. “It’s at levels above 100 parts per million that you can possibly have a life-threatening situation.”

The city’s fire code doesn’t require carbon monoxide detectors in buildings.

Lazor said he’s seen such a leak only three times in his 30 years of experience.

A woman who identified herself as a school volunteer said she, several teachers and a six-year-old girl complained of symptoms after the leak.

“The school shouldn’t have waited for someone to find the leak,” she said. “There should have been an alarm going off. Things could have been much worse.”

Johns said the school has placed a carbon monoxide detector in the wing where the leak was discovered, and is in the process of installing other detectors in the building.

The school will resume a normal schedule on Friday, Johns said.

However, the volunteer said some parents plan to keep their kids home from school because they don’t believe the school is safe.

“I’ve heard the school has even asked parents to pay for detectors in the school,” she said. “That’s not right. That’s not our responsibility.”

Johns responded to her comment.

“The school has not asked parents to pay,” he said. “Our PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) president and officers asked if they could provide the school some detectors. I appreciated and accepted their initial offer if they desired to.”

The school is near the intersection of Dublin Boulevard and Flintridge Drive on the city’s northeast side.