Fort Mill district closes Flint Hill Elementary after reported leak at nearby Silfab Solar; officials and a lawmaker call for a shutdown

Fort Mill School District closed Flint Hill Elementary School this morning after reports of a minor leak at the nearby Silfab Solar facility, district officials said, and routed students to Pleasant Hill Middle School for reunification.

"We're here to share information regarding the school closure at Flint Hill Elementary School that took place this morning," Joe Burke, the district's chief communications officer, said as he opened a press conference explaining the decision and the reunification process. District staff served breakfast and lunch while about 300 students were dismissed to parents.

Superintendent Grama Young said the district learned overnight of a report about a possible incident at the Silfab site and reached out to York County Emergency Management. "That information at first was there is no active spill," she said, adding that a later call at 06:53AM confirmed a minor leak but could not be fully verified until responders were on-site. The district decided at 07:02AM to cancel schools as a precaution.

The district also said it has maintained continuous air-quality monitoring by Citadel EHS since January and that counseling would be available for students who need support whether they return to school or remain out of class.

Board Chair Christy Spears reiterated the board's support for regulatory action. "The school board fully supports the directive issued today for this facility to immediately cease all operations," she said.

A lawmaker present at the news conference sharply criticized the company and urged full investigations and accountability. "I don't trust anything Silfab says at this point," the lawmaker said, and added, "there was some other type of leak that occurred with, hydrofluoric acid from what I understand." The lawmaker said he had contacted the attorney general's office and the county sheriff and expected EPA involvement in the investigation beginning next week.

Superintendent Young said the district's authority is limited to school operations and that questions about how York County Emergency Management reached its initial assessments would need to be answered by that agency. She noted the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services had issued a directive for Silfab Solar to cease operations by 4:00PM that day, information she presented as part of the district's account of the unfolding events.

District officials closed the press conference saying they would notify parents and the media once a decision is made about whether Flint Hill Elementary will open tomorrow. "We will notify all of our parents and the media when that decision is made," Burke said.

The district asked reporters to direct operational questions to district staff and to leave permitting, zoning and emergency-response questions to the appropriate agencies; York County Emergency Management and state and federal environmental authorities are handling investigations and verification of on-site conditions.