Firefighters evacuated Cypress Elementary School Friday morning after school officials said a construction crew caused a gas leak at the Newbury Park campus.
Multiple emergency vehicles responded to 4200 Kimber Road after the leak was called in at 8:26 a.m., records show, just over 10 minutes after the 290-student school’s morning bell.
The Ventura County Fire Department evacuated students to the school’s parking lot to wait for gas company workers to arrive and secure the leak, according to a social media post from the fire agency.
#CypressIncident VCFD Firefighters are currently on scene at Cypress School in Newbury Park addressing a gas leak. As a precautionary measure, students have been evacuated from the school to the parking lot. There is no detection of natural gas inside the school buildings.… pic.twitter.com/YaLfZ4HM0z
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) March 22, 2024
Fire department spokesperson Andy VanSciver said in a call that no injuries had been reported and that the evacuated students eventually moved to the school’s multipurpose room after its air quality was cleared.
Conejo Valley Unified School District shared a message with the school’s community Friday morning saying that “a construction project affected the gas line at the front of the school.”
“In adherence with school safety protocols and procedures, we are waiting for the (Southern California Gas Company) and the fire department to complete an evaluation and advise us on next steps,” the message reads. “There is no need to pick students up at this time.”
This story may be updated.
Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Gas leak prompts evacuation of Newbury Park school
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