NOW: Emergency teams headed to Church Hill Elementary

10:10 a.m.

– Hawkins County Schools Director Matt Hixson confirmed with Bristol Broadcasting News that 7 patients were transported from Church Hill Elementary to area hospitals after becoming ill.

Here is the complete statement sent to us by Hixson just after 10 am Thursday:

– “At drop off time this morning, just prior to school starting, CHES students and staff noticed a gas smell in the outside air. Emergency services and the gas company were immediately called.
“Several adults who had spent longer periods of time outside, began to feel nauseous. Students and staff were kept indoors and our nursing supervisor and several nurses were called in to assist.
“Once an inspection took place, it was determined to not be a gas leak but rather a sewer gas leak off site. It was decided to release students early out of an abudance of precaution, directly from the school site.”

– “There have been several staff exhibiting minor nausea and other symptoms taken to local hospitals to be monitored. One student has also been transported with similar symptoms.”
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9:44 a.m.

– A message posted on Hawkins County Schools official Facebook page says students are being dismissed from classes after calls were made earlier for medical assistance.

The message also said “this is not a gas leak” but students were not being evacuated. Another message said all students will be released from Church Hill Elementary after normal pick-up procedures while students who take buses to the school are being transported back.

A confirmed report says several patients including 3 teachers have been transported to area hospitals. Another report says four patients were being taken to Holston Valley Medical Center while three others were in route to Indian Path Hospital.

We will provide more details as they become available.

(GRAPHIC: Property of Hawkins County Schools / Official Facebook)
(IMAGE: Used with permission of S. Folden Barton / Outside of Church Hill Elementary Thursday morning.”