Gas leak forces evacuation of CFHS

CLARK FORK - A rooftop gas leak at the Clark Fork Jr.-Sr. High School forced a school-wide evacuation Thursday as officials attempted to diagnose and repair the problem.

Lake Pend Oreille School District staff members smelled gas shortly after school began Thursday morning and immediately notified authorities and evacuated students, according to Superintendent Dick Cvitanich.

The roughly 140 students were shuttled to nearby Hope Elementary School as Clark Fork fire officials searched for the leak. The culprit turned out to be a propane line feeding the school's rooftop furnace system. Shortly after 9 a.m. it was determined the repair could not be made in a timely matter and classes were canceled for the remainder of the day.

Despite the area's recent accumulation of heavy snow, officials do not believe the leak was weather related.

"We don't exactly know why it happened - it could have just been wear - but we don't think it had anything to do with the snow or ice," Cvitanich said.

With four weather-related school cancellations already this season, the young winter has been action packed for LPOSD staff, and Cvitanich was quick to praise their efforts in handling the most recent emergency.

"I think they did a really good job. They looked at the safety of the kids first and got them out there," Cvitanich said.

After repairing the leak, emergency crews tested the rest of the propane lines and found no other problems at the school. The lines, which are more than 20 years old, are slated to be replaced next summer, Cvitanich said.

The school will opened with normal hours today.