Thursday, 4:30 PM
Baker school in Brookline evacuated after antifreeze spill
By Sarah Kneezle, Globe Correspondent
Antifreeze leaked out of a heating system and forced the evacuation of an elementary school in Brookline today after several students said they felt light-headed, according to a fire official.
About 20 students from Edith C. Baker School were taken to local hospitals for evaluation but none were thought to be seriously ill, said Robert Moran, the Chief of Operations for the Brookline Fire Department. The problem was first reported just before 10 a.m.
Officials said the school, which has about 660 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, will remain closed through at least Tuesday.
The antifreeze, made of a chemical named propylene glycol, is used in heating systems to prevent pipes from freezing during cold snaps. The substance seems to have leaked in a crawl space beneath the stage, Moran said.
The school will remain closed until the building department and school department decide that it is safe for students to re-enter, Moran said.
