By Brian Rokos
The Press Enterprise
CORONA, Calif. — Thirteen students and a teacher at a Corona school were treated at hospitals Tuesday, Oct. 23, when a nauseous odor sickened dozens of people.
At 8:45 a.m., about 950 students were evacuated from Corona Fundamental Intermediate School at 1230 S. Main St. when a natural gas smell was reported, according to a Corona Fire Department news release.
Some people became ill. The Fire Department set up a mass-casualty triage operation to evaluate 51 people. Seventeen students were released to their parents, and 14 other people were taken to five hospitals.
People were allowed back into the school at 9:29 a.m., the release said.
The source of the odor was traced to a nearby oil-changing business. Fire Chief John Medina said the odor was created when workers performed a routine cleaning of a device that separates oil from runoff.
The Fire Department sent three engines, one truck company, a squad and four supervisors. Eleven ambulances responded, as did the Southern California Gas Co., Corona Police Department, Riverside County Environmental Health and the Corona Department of Water and Power.
Copyright 2012 The Press Enterprise, Inc.
All Rights Reserved