Charleroi Area School District evacuated after gas line purge

CHARLEROI, Pa. — The Charleroi Area School District was evacuated Friday after a local gas department did a purge of its gas line.

The purge did not go as planned due to atmospheric pressure, Superintendent Dr. Edward J Zelich said. As the fog and atmospheric pressure raised with the morning sun, the wave of gas passed over the campus and into the surrounding valley.

The gas company did a sweep of the campus and internal scans of all faculty buildings before letting students and staff back in, Zelich said.