VALLEY ROUNDUP : Sun Valley : Work on Pipeline Cause of Chemical Odor at School
The chemical odor that wafted over Francis Polytechnic High School earlier this month came from the gas company and not the school, according to results of environmental tests disclosed Monday.
School officials said there was no presence of gas at the school Aug. 19 when parents, students and staff reported an alarming smell, which apparently was from a nearby natural gas pipeline being worked on by the gas company.
No further odors have been reported. “The school is safe,” said Erik Nasarenko, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Parents, students and staff were especially concerned because of the school’s proximity to a landfill, school officials said. Decomposing organic material in landfills commonly produces explosive methane and toxic gases such as benzene.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
