Girard, IL – The North Mac superintendent says a loose flue on a water heater is to blame for a Carbon monoxide leak that sickened dozens of children in a Central Illinois school.
Students at North Mac Middle School started complaining of being ill just after 9 a.m. Monday.
Superintendent Marcia Cullen says kids started showing up in the nurses office and they knew “something just wasn’t right.”
Shortly thereafter, the school was evacuated and dozens of children were transported to Springfield area hospitals.
A total of 105 patients so far have been taken to hospitals in the area and treated for Carbon monoxide exposure.
Memorial Hospital in Springfiled 45 patients no conditions
St. Johns in Springfield 36 patients (23 good, 2 fair, 2 admitted, 9 still being assessed)
Carlinville Hospital 24 patients no conditions
St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield 1 paitent
Other students and adults were taken to nearby churches to be evaluated by medical personnel.
At this time Superintendent Cullen says there will be no school Tuesday for students at North Mac Middle.They will be continuing to work with local Emergency Management officials to determine when it will be safe for students and staff to return to the building.
Three counties assisted in the evacuation and triage.North Mac Middle School has 640 students enrolled in grades 3 through 8.