At John Carroll School in Bel Air, an unsettling turn of events saw 18 students experiencing sudden sickness during a school-wide Mass, leading to the evacuation and an early dismissal yesterday. According to reports from WMAR-2 News, the initial incident involved two students requiring medical attention, resulting in other students reporting similar symptoms.
Amid concern and trying to maintain calm, the Catholic high school decided to dismiss students "out of an abundance of caution," as additional students began to report feeling unwell, the school evacuated the building for inspection by the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Department, which included a hazmat team that conducted a thorough sweep and reported no environmental contaminants present, as per the school's statement. The all-clear was announced just before 1 pm, enabling students and staff to return to the building, as reported by WMAR-2 News.
Tension was palpable as siblings Corrine and Eva Vatenos described the scene, per CBS News Baltimore, with observations of classmates being wheeled out on stretchers and noting their drastic pallor changes; "I saw his bloody nose, I saw him get wheeled out on a wheelchair," Corrine recounted, "I saw kids sitting down who are normally tan and they were yellow faces. I just knew something wasn't right." Eva added, "I didn't know if I was going to be next. I felt a little queasy but I was like watching these people just fall, like did they know they were going to pass out"
Although the official response from the school deemed the building safe, parents remained on edge, students reported not being dismissed until at least 20 minutes after Mass had ended, and parents like Monika Vatenos were urging their children to prioritize their safety over protocol; "I said if you don't feel comfortable or if something doesn't feel right, just go, don't worry about getting in trouble, just go," she advised according to the Vatenos family's recount to CBS News Baltimore. The school reassured parents in an email that the gym has no gas heat and no indication of carbon monoxide being the cause of the illnesses.
The affected students were evaluated at local hospitals. In contrast, there has been no word yet on the cause of the reported sickness. As the investigation into the exact cause of the sickness continues, John Carroll School is poised to provide updates on the situation as they receive additional information.
