PUPILS at an Essex school were evacuated from their classrooms this morning after a gas leak.
PUPILS at an Essex school were evacuated from their classrooms this morning after a gas leak.
Ten students and two members of staff complained of feeling unwell after the leak, which took place in a science lab at Rickstones Academy in Witham at about 9.15am.
A spokesman for the school said the leak was caused by a faulty fume cupboard and that the science block was evacuated as a standard precaution.
Fire crews from Witham, Chelmsford, Colchester and Maldon were sent to the scene and the building was made safe shortly before noon.
Assistant Divisional Officer Terry Povey said: “The gas had come from a perfectly run of the mill experiment, but there had been a problem with the extractor fan in the fume cupboard and it had caused gas to escape into the room.
“Crews entered the room and opened the windows to ventilate and disperse the gas.
“The school did the right thing in evacuating.”
All affected staff and pupils were left in the care of the East of England Ambulance Service, but nobody needed hospital treatment.
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