*Updated on 3/1/25
Thompson, CT – Twelve people were transported from Thompson Public School after Bradley staff reported Carbon Monoxide poisoning symptoms. The fire department quickly cleared the building allowing students to return to school.
At approximately 9:30 AM on Thursday, February 27th, 2025, the Community Fire Company, along with numerous mutual aid fire departments and ambulances, was dispatched to 785 Riverside Dr, Thompson Public Schools, for reports of approximately 10 individuals experiencing Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning symptoms.
*According to the Thompson Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO), it had been reported Bradley School Employees were not feeling well, and a staff member utilized a “non-school approved Smart Sensor carbon monoxide detector.” The staff member found readings of 21 Parts Per Million (PPM) of Carbon Monoxide (CO) which is below the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) set by OSHA at 50 PPM based on an 8-hour-time weighted average exposure. The FMO went on to explain that it was unclear when the device had last been calibrated or tested and the device has multiple modes, including an automatic calibration function, but it is unknown which mode was used or if the automatic calibration was active. The device comes with a default alarm value of 24 PPM CO, which could be manually changed, and the device has a plus or minus variance of 10 PPM.
According to Deputy Chief Evan Faucher, Community Fire Company, crews arrived to find the building evacuated and numerous patients who had been located in the Bradley portion of the building reporting CO poisoning-like symptoms. Crews are familiar with this portion of the building due to numerous furnace problems over the past several years.
During the incident, students were evacuated to their Level 2 evacuation areas which are pre-determined locations away from the immediate school building.
As medical personnel triaged and treated the patients reporting illnesses, interior firefighters entered the building with multi-gas meters (designed to detect Oxygen (O2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), and Lower Explosive Level (LEL)), attempting to identify any elevated gas readings. Crews did not detect any elevated readings in the building and paused their efforts for approximately 30 minutes to allow any gasses ventilated during the initial evacuation to build up. Upon re-metering there were still no readings allowing the building to be deemed safe for students to return.
While there were no readings found within the building, multiple students and at least one adult, exhibited symptoms prompting them to be transported to area hospitals. During the incident ambulances from Putnam EMS, KB Ambulance, Webster EMS, Dudley Fire, and Southbridge Fire were on the scene. Patients were transported to Day Kimball, Harrington Southbridge, and UMASS Webster in accordance with Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) guidelines in order to not overwhelm a single hospital. Patients were transported at both the Basic Life Support level (BLS) and the Advanced Life Support (ALS) (Paramedic on board) level.
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Throughout the incident, Thompson Public School’s Superintendent Melinda Smith provided parents updates via the text and phone call system.
In a follow-up letter to parents, sent at approximately 2 PM, Smith wrote “all students from the Bradley Windham Country Program have been discharged from the hospital and staff are being evaluated for their health symptoms.” The letter went on to explain the Thompson Fire Marshal would be in the school tomorrow, February 27th, metering all classrooms. Additionally, an exhaust fan and unit ventilation system were found to have a failure in the classroom where the students were located, both are being immediately repaired. *The Thompson FMO later reported “The heating area in this portion of the building is forced hot water, not forced hot air. It has been determined that [the malfunctioning exhaust fan and ventilation system] had no relation to any suspected increased levels of carbon monoxide within the room.” The Thompson Building Inspector also evaluated the boiler area and found no signs of malfunction. There is a Carbon Monoxide detector in the area and levels never reached a point to trigger it.
*On February 28th, 2025, the Thompson FMO, with assistance from the Muddy Brook Fire Department with their specialized testing equipment as part of the Connecticut Eastern Regional Response Integrated Team (CERRIT), conducted metering throughout the entire school complex. The team utilized three multi-gas meters and one Photo Ionization Detector (PID) designed for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The FMO reported the evaluation covered all rooms within the Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and Administrative Building. Throughout the evaluation, Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrogen Sulfide (HS2) registered at 0 PPM, Volatile Organic Compounds registered at 0 PPM, and Oxygen (O2) levels remained at 20.9% (a normal value), and no explosive atmospheres were detected. The FMO also explained the classroom in question is located next to a mechanical room containing an equipment garage and equipment parking outside. No evidence was found indicating that these vehicles or equipment have any effect on increased carbon monoxide levels within the school building.
*The FMO also recommended that “the School Administration add carbon monoxide
detectors in each classroom located near the areas of concern as a precautionary measure only.”
Agencies that responded included the Community Fire Company, Quinebaug Volunteer Fire Department, Thompson Fire Engine Company, Putnam EMS, KB Ambulance, Webster EMS, Dudley EMS, and Southbridge EMS.
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