Fire Marshal Releases Details of Monday Morning Gas Leak at Lansdale Catholic High School

Keith Heffintrayer | North Penn Now•

Lansdale Borough Fire Marshal Rick Lesniak has released information regarding a Monday morning gas leak at Lansdale Catholic High School that ultimately led to classes being cancelled for the day.

First responders were dispatched to the school, located at the intersection of Lansdale Avenue and West Seventh Street, at 9:13 a.m. for a report of an odor of natural gas inside of the building. Arriving firefighters from Fairmount and Colmar fire companies encountered a natural gas odor on the second floor of the school, forcing students and staff to evacuate as a precaution.

While speaking with the president of the school, Lesniak said crews learned a science teacher had been instructing students using Bunsen burners, but once the odor was detected, the teacher activated the emergency gas shut-off for the classroom, triggering the evacuation.

"Due to the size of the building and the need to quickly get the students out of the cold weather, additional assistance was requested from the Fire Department of Montgomery Township,” Lesniak said.

Crews searched the building using multi-gas detection meters, while using fans to ventilate the classroom where the odor originated. Once the building was deemed safe, students and faculty were moved back inside into the gymnasium.

"Out of an abundance of caution, Lansdale Catholic staff decided to cancel classes for the remainder of the day,” Lesniak said. "A plumber was called to further investigate the cause and location of the gas leak.”

No injuries were reported among first responders, students, or staff, Lesniak said.

The scene was cleared at 10:35 a.m.