A boiler hiccup sparked fear at a Dorchester school earlier today, sending one employee to the hospital, and drawing a crowd of first responders who checked out several kids. The incident at UP Academy Dorchester, located at 35 Westville St., started around 9:30 a.m., when police got wind of a leak, according to NBC Boston.
Boston cops rolled up to find the school already emptied out, with a "possible gas leak" pointed out as the cause for concern. They found a number of students who needed a once-over but, none had to be carted off to the hospital. Always better safe than sorry, the school called it a temporary day off "out of an abundance of caution" after a dubious odor seeped through the halls, "Boston fire responded, to investigate and determined the odor was the result of a boiler malfunction," as per the NBC report.
On the ground, encapsulated in rows of sirens and flashing lights, students huddled with teachers as the scene unfolded. Boston EMS crew made the rounds and after a bit of a scare, all learners were given the thumbs up to head back into the classroom after 30 fleeting minutes.
Nine youngsters experienced a closer peak behind the curtain of emergency protocols, receiving evaluations at the scene, according to The Boston Globe. Although the sitch didn't cut their school day short, the same couldn't be said for one school staffer whose day took a turn and landed them in the hospital. The UP Academy, home to kids from Pre-K all up through grade 8, sealed the deal for a regular afternoon, announcing the coast was clear by noon, CEO Hillary Casson spelled out in an email.
The specifics of the school employee's injuries haven't hit the airwaves yet, and the Dorchester community is likely clocking in some relief breaths after this morning's nerve-racker. UP Academy Dorchester prides itself on nurturing approximately 720 young minds, and today, their resilience was undoubtedly put to an unforeseen test.
