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November 7, 2009

Natural gas leak sends Grant Foreman students home

By Donna Hales

A gas line leak prompted the evacuation Friday afternoon of 375 Grant Foreman Elementary School students.

Tuesday, a water line break was noticed when the gym floor “came bubbling up about a foot high,” said Muskogee Public School spokeswoman Melony Carey.

During repairs, a gas line was broken. The gas leak at the school at 800 Bacone St., wasn’t noticed until Friday. Oklahoma Natural Gas was called to fix it, and students were sent home, Carey said.

School officials began notifying parents, and their names were checked off as they were picked up by parents or someone the parents designated to pick their child up, said Grant Foreman Counselor Joanne Myers.

Children gathered near a gate on Hilltop Avenue, along with their teachers. While waiting, students were standing and sitting in groups according to the class they were in.

“We’re making sure they’re going home with who they’re supposed to be going home with,” Myers said.

Cadynce Keys, a first grader, and her brother, Samuel, 5, saw their dad, Charles Keys, get out of his car and started running to meet him.

“My wife called — everybody’s calling,” Charles Keys said.

“Daddy — know what happened?” Cadynce said.

Before he could answer she looked sober and dramatically said, “Gasoline.”

After she imparted the news he already was aware of, she grabbed his hand and smiled.

The gym was built in 2000, said Muskogee Public Schools Maintenance Director Wayne Johnson.

“Unknown to us, a large water line was underneath it,” he said.

The line broke, causing the large bubble in the gym floor, he said.

His department fixed the water leak, and in the process of doing so, evidently hit the gas line, which was about a foot down, Johnson said.

Oklahoma Natural Gas was called as soon as the odor of gas was detected and it was known there was a leak, he said.

School is expected to resume Monday, officials said.

“They (ONG) are here fixing it right now,” Johnson said a little after 3 p.m. Friday.



Reach Donna Hales at 918-684-2923 or Click Here to Send Email

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