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Hazmat Unit declares evacuated school in N.E. Philly is safe

A Fire Department Hazmat Unit has not been able to identify the source of fumes that prompted officials to evacuate the James Sullivan Elementary School in Wissinoming this morning and declared the building safe after testing found nothing toxic in the air, the commander at the scene reported. No students or teachers required medical treatment because of the fumes, said Fire Department Executive Chief Richard Davison.

Philadelphia Fire Department Hazmat unit was at the James J. Sullivan Elementary School on Ditmas Street in Wissinomimg he city for a suspect hazardous material incident on Thursday morning April 19, 2012. The students from this school were taken to a neighboring school during the investigation. This picture shows haz-mat entering the school. ( ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER )
Philadelphia Fire Department Hazmat unit was at the James J. Sullivan Elementary School on Ditmas Street in Wissinomimg he city for a suspect hazardous material incident on Thursday morning April 19, 2012. The students from this school were taken to a neighboring school during the investigation. This picture shows haz-mat entering the school. ( ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER )Read more
    by Breaking News Desk
    Published 

A Fire Department Hazmat Unit has not been able to identify the source of fumes that prompted officials to evacuate the James Sullivan Elementary School in Wissinoming this morning and declared the building safe after testing found nothing toxic in the air, the commander at the scene reported.

No students or teachers required medical treatment because of the fumes, said Fire Department Executive Chief Richard Davison.

The school at 5300 Ditmas Street was turned back to School District control for ventilation, the scene commander reported at 11:15 a.m.

The K-5 school's 500 students and staff members were relocated by bus to the Warren G. Harding School a few blocks away.

The Hazmat Unit was called in after Fire Department and Philadelphia Gas Work officials who initially responded to the school about 8:45 a.m. reported they could not determine the source of the fumes.