Eureka, MO (KMOX) - A Eureka elementary school was evacuated for a short time time Thursday morning after hazmat teams were called to the site.
Eureka Deputy Fire Chief William Stamberger says crews putting up lighting at a baseball field last week near Robert T. Geggie Elementary School, ruptured a gasoline pipeline.
Phillips 66 has been on site since, remediating the spill and removing contaminated soil. "The wind shifted today, as you can tell there's a cold front coming in," explains Stamberger, "the wind shifted from a more southerly wind to a northerly wind so those vapors and smell went toward the school."
Stamberger says students were evacuated and Eureka Fire crews tested the school and surrounding area but and found no risks. He says Phillips 66 staff is taking extra precautions, "they switched gears a little bit because we were noticing the odor, and for the school they started putting down a chemical on top of the dirt as they dig it up." Stamberger says it absorbs the smell, but is also a bacteria that eats the hydrocarbons from the gasoline.
He says the district has shut off air handling units on that side of the school to prevent any further odor from entering the school. Students are back in class.
@2023 Audacy (KMOX). All rights reserved.