PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A gas leak that prompted precautionary measures at nearby Sunset Palms Elementary School, west of Boynton Beach, has been contained.
Principal Karen Riddle sent an email to parents Thursday informing them of the situation and asking them not to come to campus to pick up their children.
She said utility contractors were working with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue "to address a main gas line compromised during construction" on Boynton Beach Boulevard.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said the 4-inch gas line was ruptured during the construction work shortly after 11:30 a.m.
#PBCFR crews from #Battalion4 alongside #Battalion9 responded to reports of a gas leak on Boynton Beach Blvd at 11:33am. First arriving units reported an approximately 4” broken gas line that was struck during roadside construction. #Firefighters were able to mitigate the leak. pic.twitter.com/ndqeyFEkzk
— PBC Fire Rescue (@PBCFR) September 30, 2021
Riddle said all students were safe.
"Somebody commented that it was a gas leak and that they were clearing out Publix, so I was freaking out that they weren't clearing out the school," parent Rebecca Adamson said. "So I called the school to see if we could pick them up, but the school said that it was on lockdown and we couldn't get them."
Her 10-year-old daughter, Annabelle Adamson, said students were told "to not freak out," but she felt relieved upon learning the all-clear had been given.
WPTV's Stephanie Susskind said parents told her they've received a phone call from the school informing them that the gas leak had been contained and that dismissal would proceed as usual.
She said westbound traffic in the area was backed up along Boynton Beach Boulevard.