Superintendent: Wall plug-in caused student evacuations from North Little Rock Schools classrooms

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – School officials now say they have found the cause for Tuesday’s school evacuations in North Little Rock.

Seventh and eighth classrooms were evacuated after students and teachers reported feeling nauseous and dizzy due to a strong odor that morning. A letter Wednesday afternoon from Superintendent Gregory J. Pilewski said that a scented wall plug-in was found during an assessment of the affected rooms.

“The plug-in is believed to be the cause of the symptoms our students and staff identified,” he said. “The plug-in has now been removed and oxygen levels and air quality remain safe for students and staff to return to the building on Thursday, March 9, 2023.”

North Little Rock police, fire and hazmat teams responded as 1,200 students were evacuated for what the school officials said at the time were low oxygen levels in the rooms.

Sixth-grade classrooms at the school were reportedly unaffected.

Students will return to class on Thursday. Wednesday had been assigned for remote learning as officials worked to find the source of the odor.

Students were evacuated to the Charging Wildcat Arena at the high school campus.

from KARK https://ift.tt/7d1YgP6