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Mercury Spill - School Evacuated in Wash. DC
Cardozo Evacuated In Spill of Mercury
Prank Is Suspected; School Shut for Week
By V. Dion Haynes and Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, February 24, 2005; Page A01
Date: 3/7/2005 4:08:02 AM ( 19 y ) ... viewed 12549 times washingtonpost.com
Cardozo Evacuated In Spill of Mercury
Prank Is Suspected; School Shut for Week
By V. Dion Haynes and Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, February 24, 2005; Page A01
Health officials and hazardous materials teams yesterday evacuated the District's Cardozo Senior High School after drops of mercury were found inside the building, and authorities said the school will remain closed for the remainder of the week to be cleaned thoroughly.
School officials said that Cardozo did not store any mercury and that they suspect a "prankster" brought it into the building. The droplets were found about 10 a.m. at three places in the school, prompting a screening of more than 600 students that stretched into the evening.
After the testing was completed about 7:30 p.m., officials said 15 students had traces of mercury on their shoes, clothing and hands. Long-term exposure to mercury vapor can cause cancer and can damage the brain, kidneys and other organs.
Cardozo, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Northwest Washington, is the third D.C. public school where classes have been canceled this week because of health concerns. Eaton Elementary School in Northwest was closed Tuesday for the cleanup of medical waste after a cat sterilization clinic was held over the weekend in the cafeteria. Walker-Jones Elementary in Northwest was closed for repairs Tuesday and yesterday after students and staff members complained that a mold problem was making them ill; it is scheduled to reopen today.
Ballou Senior High School in Southeast was closed for a month in the fall of 2003 after a student stole mercury from an unlocked chemistry lab and gave it to friends, who spread it through the building. But Superintendent Clifford B. Janey said that the mercury spill at Cardozo was far less extensive and that the school should be cleaned up by the end of the week.
"I was scared because of what happened at Ballou. . . . How can something like this get into the school with all the security?" said Lashawn Davis, who was checking on her daughter Dana, 16.
Cardozo officials said they discovered the silvery substance -- in drops that looked like marbles -- in a stairwell, near a water fountain and in a hallway, all on the first floor.
"As soon as I looked at it, I thought it was mercury," said Principal Reginald Ballard Jr., who evacuated the building immediately and called the fire department.
"My assumption is that the mercury was brought into the building by a prankster," Ballard said, adding that Cardozo removed mercury from its science labs after the Ballou incident. Those responsible, he added, "will be expelled because they put other students in danger."
Cardozo students were brought back into the auditorium shortly after noon to be screened.
The students were lined up and instructed to spread their arms and legs while hazmat workers ran a mercury detection device over their clothes, D.C. fire department spokesman Alan Etter said. Students with traces of mercury on their shoes were sent home after removing footwear, he said.
About 3:30 p.m., some students began streaming from Cardozo's front entrance. They wore green strings on their wrists, indicating that they were free of mercury.
Some expressed anger at being released without their coats; they were not allowed to return to their lockers. "It's cold. I've got asthma," said Delorenzo Robinson, a 16-year-old freshman.
Others expressed frustration at having to miss three days of school. "We'll have to make those days up in the summertime," said Audora Williams, a 15-year-old sophomore. "I don't like that."
The reopening of Eaton Elementary went smoothly yesterday, Home-School Association President Elise Hughes said. But she said several parents chose to keep their children home another day, after visiting the Cleveland Park school and finding that it still smelled of disinfectant and cats.
At Walker-Jones Elementary in Shaw, the air quality has been tested in every utilized space in the school and was deemed acceptable, said Cornell Brown, the school system's facilities director.
School officials began examining conditions at Walker-Jones in January. Principal Ray Bledsoe said some at the 465-student school -- he would not say how many -- had complained of headaches, nausea and respiratory problems.
Workers found a high level of mold spores on a ceiling tile in early February, and they repaired and cleaned the area. But complaints persisted.
Community leaders toured the school last week and expressed concern. Facilities workers reported filthy bathrooms and closets, roof leaks that could lead to mold buildup, poor air circulation, and heating problems that left 13 of 33 classrooms stiflingly hot. Janey then ordered extensive cleanup, repairs and air-quality testing at the school.
At a meeting at Walker-Jones last night, polite applause for school officials' discussion of the renovations gave way to anger and skepticism from dozens of parents. As they fired off questions about long-term plans for roof repair and school officials' failure to notify them of air quality problems, Janey, D.C. Health Director Gregg A. Pane and other officials stood silently at the front of the gathering. Authorities ended the meeting by offering a tour of improvements made to the school.
"They touched some stuff, but not enough," said Denise Day. Her daughters Tierra, 11, and Tyesha, 12, will not return this week, she said.
"You're dealing with people that are dealing with years of frustration," schools spokeswoman Roxanne Evans said in a phone interview.
Staff writer Clarence Williams contributed to this report.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
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