Gas leak forces evacuation of LMS

The day after students and personnel were evacuated from Lawrence Middle School due to a gas leak on March 13, repairs were completed, said District Superintendent Gary Schall. Administrators, teachers and students returned to the building on March 14 for a regular day of school.
“The leak was outside by the gas meter pipe joint, it was caused by the drastic drop in temperature between Wednesday and Thursday (March 12-13), Schall said. “The water was purged from the boiler [Friday] morning and a harmless odor was emitted and dissipated after 20 minutes. “With everyone at a heightened level of concern we cancelled morning activities in the auditorium which is right above the boiler.”
Schall called it an “isolated incident” but said that the district is aware that improvements must be made to the building’s infrastructure. Money for which are included in its capital plan, he said.
Following the evacuation of Lawrence Middle School students were taken to the Number Four School and Our Lady of Good Counsel, both in Inwood.
Middle School Principal Willis Perry said this was his first time having to evacuate a school. “Everyone came together to get the children out,” said Perry, adding that moving them out of the building was a safety measure.

Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Chief John McHugh said the gas leak was reported at 10:37 a.m. The students were sheltered in place in the school’s auditorium in the rear of the building as it was determined that the leak was in the piping in the front of the building, McHugh said. “The gas meter was secured and the heating system which is partially powered by the gas was shutoff so there was no heat,” McHugh said.
School district and National Grid officials made the decision to move the students due for the need to begin repairs, Schall said.
The school’s fifth- and six-graders were taken to the Number Four School. The seventh- and eighth-graders are at the church, where Christine Moore, the middle school’s assistant principal and a teacher greeted parents and guardians before the children were picked up. The middle school on Broadway in Lawrence holds approximately 700 students in grades fifth through eighth.
Ilene Parnes, whose daughter Lucy is a sixth-grader, received the district call about the incident. “I was nervous,” she said. “My daughter was at a science event and wasn’t at the school at the time. I called her, then called the school. It was a big chaotic mess.”
Denise Washington, the mother of a daughter in fifth grade and a son in seventh, said she didn’t learn of the incident until 2:20 p.m. Thursday afternoon. It was daughter who called her. “I wished I found out sooner,” Washington said. “I was upset to find out through my daughter.” Though the district made automated phone calls, Washington, who was at work, did not receive one, she said.
Lawrence Middle School PTA President Abby Schmidt said she thought the evacuation went smoothly and school officials took all the necessary steps to maintain student safety. “The children were in a safe condition all the time,” she said. “The walk from the schools was not long and the children were monitored throughout.”
Teachers were bussed back to the middle school to get their vehicles. The Inwood and Hewlett fire departments also responded to the scene, McHugh said.

Vanessa Parker contributed to this story.