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Hopkinton school evacuated after gas leak; students returned same day
Summary
Hopkinton Public Schools evacuated Hopkins School on May 13 after a gas leak in a regulator; fire and police responded within minutes, students were relocated to nearby gyms for lunch and supervision, and classes resumed same day after Eversource replaced the regulator overnight.
Hopkinton Public Schools evacuated Hopkins School on May 13 after staff smelled gas in a regulator just before the building meter, Superintendent Dr. Kavanaugh said during the May 15 school committee meeting.
The superintendent said staff called the Hopkinton Fire Department immediately, pulled the fire alarm and began an orderly evacuation. “The fire department was on scene in 2 minutes,” Dr. Kavanaugh said. Students from Hopkins were moved to the Brown and Doyle gyms at the middle school while AP testing limited space at the high school. The district arranged lunches from Elmwood, the middle school and the high school cafeteria staffs.
Nut graf: The district credited quick action by school staff and first responders for minimizing disruption; the leak was controlled before noon and students returned to Hopkins later that morning. The incident led to the cancellation of fifth-grade MCAS testing for the remainder of that day under DESE protocols.
Details: According to Dr. Kavanaugh, the leak occurred around 10 a.m. in a regulator just before the meter. After the initial alarm and evacuation, the leak was controlled by about 10:50 a.m., and by 11:20 a.m. “all the kids and the staff had returned to Hopkins building,” she said. Eversource replaced the regulator overnight; the superintendent said the building showed no signs of the incident the following morning.
School and emergency staff described student behavior as cooperative; students watched movies while relocated and cafeteria staff produced enough meals for the displaced students. The incident prompted the district to consult the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) about MCAS testing protocol; Dr. Kavanaugh said the district follows DESE’s procedures when irregularities occur.
The committee acknowledged the efforts of custodial and central-office staff, paraprofessionals, teachers and the Hopkinton Fire and Police departments. The superintendent said the district would continue its investigation into the cause of the regulator failure, and that only four technicians in the area could repair that specific regulator.
Ending: The committee took no formal action beyond public acknowledgement and thanks. Board members asked no additional questions; the superintendent closed the item and moved on to other agenda business.
