Mysterious Odor- Again
Sunbury, Pennsylvania (United States):
Two city employees reported becoming ill from an odor of undetermined origin that kept students inside a school and firefighters searching a stopped train Monday in Upper Augusta Township and Sunbury.
The employees at the Sunbury ice skating rink refused treatment when firefighters sent emergency services personnel there, said Chris Herb, Upper Augusta Township fire chief.
Students at Chief Shikellamy Elementary School were kept inside as a precaution. The Northumberland County Department of Public Safety called it a lockdown status with no students allowed out of the building until the situation was under control. Firetrucks blocked the entrance to the school. Parents of children at the school were advised to stay clear of the area.
Residents in affected areas were told to close all windows, outside ventilation systems and air conditioning units.
The initial report of a chlorine-like smell came in at 11:55 a.m. from the 900 block of East Avenue on Island Park and near the Sunbury Social Club.
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See Archives
"What is That Smell?"
Strange Smell Still Lingers
Strange Odor Prompts school Evacuation
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Firefighters made calls to area power plants, water treatment facilities and Merck & Co. in Riverside that may have had an emission, Mr. Herb said, with negative results. They then checked rail companies to see if there were any trains in distress in the area. They discovered there was a train in the area of Mile Post Road and Renn Road that may have a tank car that was considered to be empty.
Hazardous-materials technicians, led by Sunbury Fire Chief Jim Fenstermacher, checked the entire train. "They did a 360 degree of the train and it was a pretty long train," Mr. Herb said. No tank car was found at the train. A tanker was accounted for at a yard at a local industry, he said.
The train had been stopped waiting for engineers, Mr. Herb said.
Mr. Herb said the smell reported could have come from a number of things. "We have no idea where or what. We are considering it to be some type of weather event," he said.
A command post was set up at the social club with the scene declared secure at about 2:30 p.m.
While students were being kept inside the school, Douglas Bristol of Chambers Sons of Malvern said he was allowed to continue to work on sanding the gym floor. He said a school janitor told him at about 12:15 p.m. that the school was under lockdown.
School Principal Brett Misavage said he got a call from Superintendent James Hartman who was notified by the Northumberland County 911 Center, requesting that all children be kept inside at the school. He said the students were being dismissed at their regular times, which was between 2:40 and 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Herb said the school is about a mile "the way the crow flies" from where the odor was reported.
"We never thought anyone was in danger," he said.
October 4, 2005
Karen Blackledge, The Daily Item
Sunbury, Pennsylvania (United States):
Two city employees reported becoming ill from an odor of undetermined origin that kept students inside a school and firefighters searching a stopped train Monday in Upper Augusta Township and Sunbury.
The employees at the Sunbury ice skating rink refused treatment when firefighters sent emergency services personnel there, said Chris Herb, Upper Augusta Township fire chief.
Students at Chief Shikellamy Elementary School were kept inside as a precaution. The Northumberland County Department of Public Safety called it a lockdown status with no students allowed out of the building until the situation was under control. Firetrucks blocked the entrance to the school. Parents of children at the school were advised to stay clear of the area.
Residents in affected areas were told to close all windows, outside ventilation systems and air conditioning units.
The initial report of a chlorine-like smell came in at 11:55 a.m. from the 900 block of East Avenue on Island Park and near the Sunbury Social Club.
_______________________________________________
See Archives
"What is That Smell?"
Strange Smell Still Lingers
Strange Odor Prompts school Evacuation
_______________________________________________
Firefighters made calls to area power plants, water treatment facilities and Merck & Co. in Riverside that may have had an emission, Mr. Herb said, with negative results. They then checked rail companies to see if there were any trains in distress in the area. They discovered there was a train in the area of Mile Post Road and Renn Road that may have a tank car that was considered to be empty.
Hazardous-materials technicians, led by Sunbury Fire Chief Jim Fenstermacher, checked the entire train. "They did a 360 degree of the train and it was a pretty long train," Mr. Herb said. No tank car was found at the train. A tanker was accounted for at a yard at a local industry, he said.
The train had been stopped waiting for engineers, Mr. Herb said.
Mr. Herb said the smell reported could have come from a number of things. "We have no idea where or what. We are considering it to be some type of weather event," he said.
A command post was set up at the social club with the scene declared secure at about 2:30 p.m.
While students were being kept inside the school, Douglas Bristol of Chambers Sons of Malvern said he was allowed to continue to work on sanding the gym floor. He said a school janitor told him at about 12:15 p.m. that the school was under lockdown.
School Principal Brett Misavage said he got a call from Superintendent James Hartman who was notified by the Northumberland County 911 Center, requesting that all children be kept inside at the school. He said the students were being dismissed at their regular times, which was between 2:40 and 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Herb said the school is about a mile "the way the crow flies" from where the odor was reported.
"We never thought anyone was in danger," he said.
October 4, 2005
Karen Blackledge, The Daily Item
