By Ruth Rendon
Houston Chronicle
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON — More than 20 teachers and students at Tomball High School were taken to a local hospital today after a chemical spill near a science lab.
A teacher was preparing for a science lab project about 7:15 a.m. and knocked over about a pint of amyl alcohol in a lab prep room adjacent to a science lab, said Staci Stanfield, a spokeswoman for the Tomball school district. The prep room is like a storage closet where chemicals and supplies are stored.
The amyl alcohol, a colorless liquid that can produce fumes that irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory tract, got on the teacher’s clothing and she proceeded to go to the nurse’s clinic for help, Stanfield said.
``Along the way, some teachers were exposed,’' she said. ``When the teacher got to the clinic, there were five students there that also were exposed.’'
Thirteen teachers and the five students were taken to Tomball Regional Hospital as a precaution.
Students on the north side of the campus at 30330 Quinn Road in far northwest Harris County were evacuated to the nearby football stadium as a precaution. While outside, two other students complained of being exposed and also were taken to the hospital, Stanfield said. Two other teachers were transported due to heat exposure.
Later in the morning, an elementary school pupil who was at the high school campus and came in contact with a teacher who was exposed also was taken to the hospital.
Students on the south side of the campus were kept inside classrooms and the air conditioning turned off as a precaution.
Firefighters and a hazardous materials crew responded to the high school and cleaned up the spill.
By 10 a.m., the all-clear was issued and classes resumed.
All of the teachers and students were released from the hospital by 12:45 p.m., Stanfield said.