ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 25, 1996 TAG: 9601250063
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Craig County students returned to class Wednesday as an environmental cleanup crew continued to mop up a fuel oil spill that forced Craig County High and McCleary Elementary schools to close early Tuesday.
State health officials said the spill posed no danger to children, and environmental consultants said there was no risk of an explosion.
The schools opened one hour late Wednesday, but operations were normal for the rest of the day, Principal Mike Wills said.
Students had been sent home early Tuesday because some had burning eyes, headaches and nausea from the oil fumes. Some parents said their children had been complaining for several days about the fumes.
An underground pipe between a storage tank and the school's furnace had broken, Craig Superintendent Dallas Helems said.
Helems said school officials were unaware that fuel oil had seeped into the ground until the heavy rain last weekend forced it to the surface. They discovered oil in a drainage area near the school, he said.
"All of the rain caused the water table to rise, and that apparently caused the oil to rise," Helems said.
An environmental cleanup company was called in this week. "They are skimming it off the ground and putting it in barrels," Helems said.
School officials don't know how much oil seeped into the ground or how long the pipe had been leaking, he said.
Helems said he didn't have an estimate of the cleanup costs because the crew is still working.
State environmental and health officials are monitoring the cleanup to make sure there is no threat to students, he said.
"They said there is no reason we couldn't have school. All of the cleanup work is being done outside in the air," Helems said.
Meanwhile, Wills said attendance was good Wednesday despite the spill and complaints about the odor.
Exams had been scheduled to begin Wednesday, but they were postponed until today and Friday, Wills said. Students had been scheduled to be off Friday, but the schools now will be open on Friday. Students will be off Monday, but teachers will have to work that day, he said.
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