A construction crew struck a gas line near Dakin and Highland avenues in Mount Kisco on Thursday morning, triggering a strong gas-like odor that led officials to evacuate Mount Kisco Elementary School and the Hillside Program. Students were bused to the auditorium at Fox Lane High School, where district officials said everyone was safe and accounted for.
The village confirmed the outdoor leak in the area of Dakin and Highland avenues, according to Daily Voice, which reported that construction contractors working nearby had struck the line. The same report said all students had been evacuated as of 11 a.m., with Con Edison and EMS responding to the scene. District officials said in a statement that students were safe and remained with their teachers and administrators as the situation unfolded.
Separately, ABC7 Eyewitness News reported that some Bedford Central School District schools were evacuated after a contractor damaged a Con Edison gas line, prompting emergency crews and Con Edison to respond in order to secure the line and begin repairs. ABC7 reported that the district had not said which specific buildings were affected, and noted that a press conference was planned for Thursday afternoon at Mount Kisco Town Hall.
Students Moved to Fox Lane for Lunch and Medical Checks
Once at Fox Lane High School, elementary students were safe and having lunch, the same account notes. EMS checked students and staff on scene at Mount Kisco Elementary School before the evacuation was completed, and three school nurses were expected to be stationed at Fox Lane to assist with any medical needs, per Patch.
The district said it was waiting for additional information from first responders to determine whether students could return to Mount Kisco Elementary School and the Hillside Program, the report adds. In the meantime, the district said it was developing a reunification plan and would provide families with pickup instructions.
Cause and Scope Still Being Sorted Out
EMS and Con Edison were both aware of the leak and were working to resolve it, according to the same account. ABC7's report attributed the damage specifically to a contractor striking a Con Edison gas line, while the district itself had not identified which buildings beyond Mount Kisco Elementary and Hillside were affected.
A separate entry in the Mount Kisco Police Department's police blotter logged a report received at 2:33 p.m. of a broken gas pipe on Dakin Avenue, to which Con Edison and the Mount Kisco Fire Department responded. It is not established whether that blotter entry refers to the same timeline as the morning evacuation, and the department's log does not tie it directly to the school response.
No information has been provided on whether the leak was fully repaired or when students might be cleared to return to their classrooms. For now, families are being told to await word from the district on reunification and pickup procedures.
