Paul Zinni, Superintendent
18 King Street
Norfolk, MA 02056
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019
Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net
King Philip Regional High School Evacuated Tuesday Night Due to Gas Odor
WRENTHAM — Superintendent Paul Zinni reports that King Philip Regional High School was evacuated Tuesday night, Sept. 17, due to a gas odor.
About 100 people, including students, were inside of the school for sports practices, band practice and other activities.
Around 6:45 p.m., people in the Wooden Gymnasium reported the smell of gas. The custodial staff made the determination that the building should be evacuated and worked to get everyone out of the building. The Wrentham Fire Department was called and firefighters from Wrentham, Plainville and Norfolk responded. Columbia Gas also responded to determine the exact source of the odor.
The cause of the odor was determined to be a rooftop heating unit. The unit has been shut off and work to repair the unit is being done today.
After it was determined that the building was safe to re-enter, students and staff were allowed back into the building at approximately 7:40 p.m.
No one was injured during the incident.
“I want to commend our nighttime custodial staff for their quick actions in determining to evacuate the school,” Superintendent Zinni said. “I would also like to thank the responding firefighters and Columbia Gas for their quick responses and making sure that the school was safe.”
Superintendent Zinni would also like to notify parents that an unrelated, planned fire drill was done at the high school Wednesday morning. Superintendent Zinni would like to praise the students, faculty and staff who evacuated the building both times in an orderly and safe fashion.
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