Minnesota school evacuated after students get sick

School Evacuated-Sick Students — Springfield Ambulance employees Kathy Lang , left, and Rick Cook, center, check the vital signs of Springfield Elementary School student Lilly McCone of Sanborn Minn., on Thursday at the Springfield Community Center. The school was evacuated to the community center Thursday morning after several students fell ill.

By Associated Press

February 06, 2014 at 9:58 PM

SPRINGFIELD, Minn. — A suspected carbon monoxide leak has forced an evacuation at a southern Minnesota school and sent 30 children to the hospital.

Police were called to Springfield Public School just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday after a couple of students reportedly fell ill in the school auditorium.

The entire school was evacuated. Hospital spokesman Kevin Burns says 30 elementary school students were taken to Mayo Clinic Health Center in Springfield with symptoms of possible carbon monoxide exposure such as nausea.

Burns said that by late afternoon, 27 students had been treated and released and three were still being evaluated.

Students and staff were taken to the Springfield Community Center, where students were to be picked up by parents.

The Journal of New Ulm reports firefighters ensured the building was completely evacuated and locked.