Belmont Central Elementary School was evacuated this Wednesday morning after a gas leak was detected on the premises, as confirmed by the Belmont Police Department. The disruption occurred on the first day of the school year for Gaston County Schools. According to QC News, emergency protocols were swiftly enacted, with students and staff being removed from the building for their safety.
It was a Dominion Energy crew that initially noticed the leak, which was said to be travelling under the school, and immediately called 911 for assistance. The Belmont Fire Department was quick to respond, as were emergency crews who stayed on site to ensure that anything caught on fire could be quickly addressed. Despite the potential dangers, Dominion was effectively able to stop the leak and carry out necessary repairs, as reported by WBTV.
By 10:21 a.m., Belmont Police were able to announce that the gas leak had been located and the school had been ventilated, signaling the imminent return of the school community to their classrooms. A mere 27 minutes later, the authorities confirmed that the school was cleared for re-entry and students were to start going back to class, according to a statement obtained by QC News.
Principal Kristin Kiser sent out a message to families explaining that the origin of the leak was from the kitchen. Yet concerns surfaced on the school's communication, as by 12:10 p.m., the school had not shared any information on Facebook, leading to a number of comments from the public on a Belmont Police Facebook post, pointing out that they had not been called by the school about the incident. This detail was highlighted in a report by WCNC. Further details on the cause of the leak remain under investigation, with both Gaston County Schools and Dominion Energy presumably to provide more information as it becomes available.
