Gas leak causes evacuation of Mount Kisco schools

By MARTIN WILBUR

A construction crew struck a high-pressure gas line on Highland Avenue last week causing a leak that forced an emergency response and the evacuation of the Hillside School and Mount Kisco Elementary School.

Westchester County Police said the incident was reported about 9 a.m., on Oct. 1. Responding officers detected a strong gas order and heard a hissing sound near the construction site. They requested expedited action from the Mount Kisco Fire Department and Con Edison and closed Highland Avenue and nearby Dakin Avenue to vehicles.

Officers also made door-to-door notifications to residents near the work site, police said.

The smell of gas was reported at Mount Kisco Elementary School on West Hyatt Avenue and the nearby Hillside School, located at the St. Francis of Assisi parish, where the Bedford Central School District rents space. Students were evacuated and transported to Fox Lane High School and spent time in the auditorium until crews and authorities determined it was safe to return, according to communications from the district.

Mount Kisco Mayor J. Michael Cindrich lauded emergency responders who acted quickly to protect the public, including former Capt. Jim Johnson, one of the first firefighters on the scene. 

“He coordinated the fire department search and helped evacuate the children from the elementary school,” Cindrich said. “The issue was how it happened.”

Cindrich said crews were performing excavation on Highland Avenue, but the required markings that are used to prevent damage to infrastructure were about 3 to 3.5 feet off target, he said.

All five Westchester County police officers on duty in Mount Kisco responded to the elementary school. About seven additional officers from outside the village arrived to assist with the regular police duties, Cindrich said. 

“This would not have happened unless we had the resources that we had,” the mayor said. “There were five officers at the elementary school because they thought it would be a Level 1 catastrophic incident.”

Officers kept Highland and Dakin avenues closed until the leak was repaired.

The school district notified parents shortly before 11:30 a.m. that the students would be transported back to the building to resume the school day. At about 1:10 p.m., Superintendent of Schools Robert Glass confirmed that students had returned to their schools. He thanked district personnel as well as the village and police and firefighters for the quick evacuation and to ensure the children were cared for.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank our staff for the incredible way they came together across schools to follow our emergency response plans,” Glass communicated on the district’s ParentSquare portal. “From administrators, teachers and aides to our food service provider (Aramark), our transportation supervisor and Towne Bus Company, Fox Lane’s security team and more, everyone came together to make this situation run as smoothly as possible.

“Our students were cared for throughout the day by the best in the business. We could not be more grateful to work with such hard-working, compassionate people.”

The district was scheduled to hold a meeting Oct. 7 to review the steps taken by its staff.