The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) -WDBJ-7 was in the city Sunday afternoon, reporting in the wake of the recent school smell evacuation. Covington
Middle School was evacuated on Friday after a strange odor was reported, leading to some students and staff feeling sick, according to local officials.
The incident has sparked growing concerns among parents and teachers, who say this is not the first time such an issue has occurred at the school.
Many parents have stated that their children will not be going to school until they know something more about what this “smell” really is. Students and teachers have described the odor as smelling like cat urine. According to reports, multiple teachers reported experiencing symptoms such as headaches and physical sickness throughout the day, with some requiring being given oxygen, according to reports. “We had teachers who were just not feeling good, headaches, getting physically sick,” said one teacher. The school district says it is investigating the cause of the odor but has not yet identified the source. Officials noted that on two previous occasions, there have been similar odor incidents, with one being traced back to an outside source in the Covington area, not from inside the school. However, teachers have reported being tested and their lab results showing elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin in their blood, which can indicate an elevated carbon monoxide exposure. Dr. Cynthia Morrow of the Virginia Department of Health is involved in the investigation, but preliminary reports suggest
the symptoms have been mild and self-limited, with no ongoing issues.
Despite the district’s assurances that the building was thoroughly investigated, and no signs of gas leaks or other issues were found, some
parents and teachers remain skeptical and unwilling to return to the school until the matter is resolved. “For now, some parents say their kids won’t be back in school, and teachers say they won’t be showing up to work until they have those answers,” the report stated. The school district has promised to provide an update on the situation to WDBJ7 Sunday Evening.
After talking with concerned citizens, it has been reported that some parents are planning to attend the Alleghany Highlands Public School
Board work session meeting on Monday February 3rd at 6:00.
* Update, this evening Sunday February second Alleghany Public Schools in a news release stated that during investigation of the Covington
Middle School facilities by The Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Roanoke Valley Regional Hazardous Materials team
it was discovered that a natural gas stove burner wasn’t operating correctly allowing Carbon monoxide gas to escape during its operation. Coupled with the fact that the exhaust hood was not operating correctly allowed the harmful gas to escape into the school causing the smell. As a result, Covington Middle School will be closed on Monday February third to fix the issues. A full press release can be found on our website.
