By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – There was a carbon monoxide scare Monday at a Catholic elementary school in South Buffalo.
About 400 students were evacuated from the Notre Dame Academy to the nearby St. Martin of Tours Church after a number of them became ill shortly after 8:30 Monday morning.
Buffalo firefighters say a faulty boiler was to blame for the release of the carbon monoxide.
Deputy Fire Commissioner Patrick Lewis questioned why it took at least 20 minutes for his department to be notified. But Kevin Keenan, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese, says school officials reacted appropriately.
"When you smell gas in a building, the first thing you do is call National Fuel," Keenan told WKBW, 7 News. "That is what they did here at the school."
The affected children were examined by medical professionals. One student was hospitalized as a precaution.
The Notre Dame Academy re-opened for classes Tuesday.