Furious mum sends letter to First Minister over gas leak

THE mother of two children at Balmuildy Primary School has sent an open letter to the First Minister raising her concerns over a suspected gas leak at the school last week.

The mother, who did not wish to be named, has slammed the school for not responding quickly enough to the incident.

She is now demanding answers from the Scottish Government as parents have been repeatedly told the investigation is still ongoing and that the school will remain closed.

In the letter, she addresses how she thought there had previously been a gas leak at the school in November when parents and carers were informed there had been an outbreak of norovirus.

It states: “On 20 November, 2019 I wasn’t convinced that it was norovirus the kids all got the day they closed the school.

“It was more symptoms of severe headaches, a little sickness, dizziness and fainting but as norovirus was in other schools I didn’t push it.

“I did say on the phone to the school I was concerned as it seemed more like an over-use of a chemical or gas leak and I asked if any new cleaning agents had been used that day and was told no.

“The exact same thing happened yesterday.”

With one of her own children falling ill, the mother witnessed firsthand the severity of the situation as she went to the school to collect her.

She added: “I phoned to raise my concerns that I had never seen a virus take everyone down at exactly the same time and I believed there was a gas leak of some sort, the office staff tried to play down at first and said it was a ‘fluke’.

“When I said I wasn’t accepting that and told her kids were fainting, lying down and teachers feeling unwell she said she didn’t know where my son was getting that from.

“I said it wasn’t from my son and that I was in the school and saw it for myself... I saw the chaos unfold.”

The following day, the school was evacuated with all parents and carers receiving an alert to collect their children “ASAP”.

She added: “To say I am furious that the school wasn’t evacuated whilst I was collecting my son at 11am when many were falling ill is a massive understatement.

“I refuse to protect people who in my opinion didn’t react quickly enough to protect our children and won’t provide any answers to what our kids have or haven’t been exposed to. “When a group of people in a building fall very ill at the same time there is something unusual and procedure should be evacuate and investigate.”

East Dunbartonshire Council’s depute chief executive for education, Ann Davie, said: “We fully appreciate the concerns of parents and children at Balmuildy Primary School and our absolute priority is the health and safety of children and staff.

“We are currently conducting a thorough investigation, specialist contractors have been in over the weekend and we are taking every precaution until the situation is fully understood.

“We have informed parents and carers that the school will remain closed on Monday whilst investigations continue and we will keep them updated with any developments.”

I refuse to protect people who in my opinion didn’t react quickly enough