More than 30 students from Mapleton Local School District were taken to hospitals yesterday after a sudden onset of illness, prompting the evacuation of the district's middle and high school buildings. According to Cleveland19, symptoms reported by the students included headaches, nausea, and dizziness, leading Ashland County Sheriff Kurt Schneider to confirm that all children are expected to make a full recovery.
Emergency responders from neighboring fire departments and emergency medical services, along with law enforcement from both the Ashland County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, were on the scene, the school buildings were evacuated, and during that time, students complained of illness then ambulances transported 30 students to seven different hospitals across five counties, according to an article from WMFD. The events led to an investigation that initially suggests causes such as common flu or carbon monoxide exposure, however, the exact cause is still under inquiry.
Sheriff Schneider commended the multi-agency response as a "textbook example" of coordination for such emergencies, and shared relief that no severe injuries occurred. "Today was a textbook example of how multiple agencies coordinate planning, response and investigating incidents of this magnitude," Schneider said, as reported by WMFD. The buildings have since been cleared by fire service personnel, and no criminal elements or ongoing threats were found associated with the incident.
Despite the incident, the school district announced that students could return to collect their belongings until 6 p.m. on the day of the evacuation, and it was clarified by the district that Mapleton's away football game would proceed as planned. This was included in the information provided by Cleveland19. Local media WHIO has been following the story, noting that the illness began early Friday, with investigations ongoing to ascertain the cause of the student's illness.
