UPDATE: Peekskill Students Hospitalized After Chlorine Spill

19 children who were complaining of headaches induced by fumes from a chlorine spill at Peekskill Middle School were hospitalized after the leak, according to news reports.

The chlorine spill was caused by a chemical truck, which had just finished pumping chlorine for the school swimming pool when it began to leak.

District officials said at 1:27PM that the middle school dance scheduled for tonight has been cancelled.

In an update on the district website at 12:58PM, district officials said that the pool chemical spill would be cleaned up shortly. Saturday Academy will take place tomorrow as originally scheduled.

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A chemical spill outside Peekskill Middle School has forced the evacuation of students and staff and a decision to send students home early.

Peekskill schools superindent Larry Licopoli made this announcement at 11:17AM:

This is Superintendent of Schools Larry Licopoli, calling again to apprise you that we have been advised by officials at the Middle School that the clean-up will take several hours. Consequently, we will be dismissing the Middle School at 11:45 a.m. Please note that staff or students may return or students may return to the school, after 3:00 p.m. to pick up personal items.

Here’s the superintendent’s first announcement:

This is Superintendent of Schools Larry Licopoli, calling to advise you that a chlorine spillage event occurred outside of the Middle School by Ringgold Street. Fire officials have been contacted and we have been advised to evacuate our students to Peekskill High School. All staff and students are now walking to the High School Gymnasium. I will apprise you ASAP as to whether we will be releasing students or returning them to the Middle School.

News 12 Westchester reported that some students were hospitalized due to the spill.

Patch Editor Alfred Branch contributed to this report.