A Gallatin, Tennessee elementary school involving a science experiment with dry ice led to 18 students and a teacher being sent to the hospital on Friday morning, as reported by district officials.
Dr. Scott Langford, the director of Sumner County Schools, shared a video on social media announcing that a student activity group from outside the school worked with third graders at Vena Stuart Elementary School to do science experiments, as per Fox News.
A group of third-grade students at Vena Stuart Elementary in Gallatin experienced health issues after participating in a science experiment, according to a spokesperson from Sumner County Schools. The incident occurred about 30 miles northeast of Nashville.
The students were engaged in the experiment with an external presenter, whose identity and affiliation have not been disclosed. Following the experiment, multiple students reported feeling unwell, prompting the school administration to take swift action.
When the school called Sumner County Emergency Services out of caution, all eighteen pupils and their instructor were sent right away to a local hospital for assessment. The experiment's nature and the symptoms the students experienced were not specified in the initial reports.
According to the latest updates, everyone involved, including the students and their teacher, is said to be in stable and good condition. Parents of the affected students were promptly notified of the incident.
Emergency services, including Gallatin Fire, conducted an assessment of the classroom where the experiment occurred, taking measures to ensure the safety of the students and staff. The fire department also assisted in ventilating the room.
Authorities from Sumner County Schools and the Gallatin Fire Department have yet to provide official comments on the incident. USA TODAY has reached out to both entities for further information, according to USA Today.
School Confirms Student Health
Meanwhile, Sumner County Schools' Director, Scott Langford, addressed the situation in a video posted on social media. Langford confirmed that several children became nauseous during the experiment, prompting the school administrators to call emergency responders. The decision to transport the students and their teacher to the hospital was taken as a precautionary measure.
The school later released a statement asserting that everyone transported to the hospital was in good condition. Langford expressed gratitude for the rapid response from both school administration and emergency responders, emphasizing their swift actions in ensuring the safety of the students.
Fire crews continued their involvement by assessing and ventilating the room where the science experiment took place, further underscoring the commitment to securing the well-being of all individuals involved.
The community is waiting for further details about the experiment and the steps taken to avoid incidents like this in the future from Sumner County Schools and the Gallatin Fire Department as investigations progress, AP News reported.
