Students removed from TOSH class following exhaust smell

Students at Three Oaks Senior High School were removed from a classroom Friday afternoon after it suddenly started stinking of diesel.

According to a report emailed to parents, exhaust from a boom lift made its way into the school’s ventilation system and caused a strong odour for about 10 minutes.

The Public Schools Branch said that while the smell was unpleasant there was no danger to students or staff, though both were removed from the class as a precaution.

That classroom and the area around it will not be used until air quality tests are completed. Those tests were scheduled to take place later that day.

Officials also said the test results will be shared with parents when they become available.

Occupational Health and Safety officers and Environmental Health will be investigating.

“We are working to prevent any such incident in the future,” said the statement.

Three Oaks has been under a major renovations project for more than a year.

Classes have been ongoing at the school while that work is underway.

Parents and students have expressed concerns in the past about their health as they attend classes and the steps taken to protect them while they do so.

Extra safety precautions were implemented before the start of the school year.