SECOND Bishopbriggs school evacuated after carbon monoxide leak

There has been a carbon monoxide leak at a SECOND primary school in Bishopbriggs.

The Herald can reveal pupils and staff at Wester Cleddens Primary were evacuated yesterday (Wednesday, March 4) after the leak at the school’s boiler house.

Emergency services were called after an alarm, newly installed in the school after the gas leak incident at Balmuildy Primary last month, activated. The fire service identified “a higher reading of carbon monoxide from the boiler house.”

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In a letter to parents yesterday, East Dunbartonshire Council’s Chief Education Officer Jacqui MacDonald said the reading was isolated to the boiler and added that pupils were not at risk.

The gas boiler was switched off.

Pupils were relocated to St Matthew’s Primary.

Several days ago, the council began a programme of installing carbon monoxide detectors in all schools in East Dunbartonshire which they said should be completed by the end of this week.

The letter from Mc MacDonald was sent in full to the Herald from one concerned parent.

It reads:

“Date 4 March 2020

Letter to parents of Wester Cleddens Primary

Dear Parents,

There was a precautionary evacuation at the school today when one of the new carbon monoxide monitors, located in the boiler house at the school activated.

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The school’s evacuation plan was effectively followed and all children and staff immediately left the building and were safe and well at the muster point whilst investigations quickly identified the source.

Scottish Fire and Rescue attended and it was identified that there was a higher reading of carbon monoxide from the boiler house and the gas boiler was switched off. Scottish Fire and Rescue confirmed that there were no traces of carbon monoxide in the rest of the school, it was an isolated reading from the boiler house, and the children and school staff were not at risk from this isolated reading. They confirmed that the school was safe for children and staff to return.

The school’s main source of heating and hot water is a biomass boiler with a complimentary gas boiler in support. The gas boiler had activated when the fuel levels of the biomass boiler required support. Following the confirmation by Scottish Fire and Rescue that the school was safe, a fuel delivery for the biomass was ordered for immediate delivery.

The children and staff located to St Matthew’s Primary until the biomass boiler was refuelled and the heating and hot water in the school was restored. This was an essential consideration given the current focus on effective handwashing in the response to managing Coronavirus.

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The biomass boiler is now fully functional and the gas boiler will not be switched back on until it has been repaired and recertified. We can confirm that the gas boiler had previously been serviced and certified just last week.

Yours sincerely

JACQUI MACDONALD Chief Education Officer”

Carbon monoxide detectors are to be in place in all schools in East Dunbartonshire by the end of this week.

The assurance by the council comes after 2,600 people signed an online petition set up by a parent of a pupil at Balmuildy Primary School in Bishopbriggs, evacuated over a week ago after a gas leak.

Thomas Glen, Depute Chief Executive said earlier this week: “As current industry regulations only require schools built after 2013 to have CO monitors 
fitted, we gave a commitment to review our policy on carbon monoxide monitors in all our public buildings, including schools and nurseries.

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“We have already started to install them in schools and nurseries and will begin work in other buildings as soon as possible. It is hoped that this will provide reassurance for all working and learning in these buildings and visitors.”

Ann Davie, Depute Chief Executive for Education added: “We can confirm that of our 42 schools, five are new and have monitors in place. Of the remaining 37 schools, 20 have now had carbon monoxide monitors fitted and the remaining 17 will be completed by the end of the week.”

The Herald has contacted East Dunbartonshire Council in relation to the latest incident at Wester Cleddens and is awaiting its response.

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