All Students Released from Hospital after Carbon Monoxide Scare

A repair crew is at St. Mary Parish at this hour working to repair a boiler that malfunctioned and sickened 13 St. Mary School students with carbon monoxide during a prayer service this morning.

Five students were taken to the hospital for evaluation after they reported feeling ill, including a young boy who "was overcome" by the carbon monoxide fumes, said Lisa M. Lepore, principal of St. Mary School in a letter to parents sent home today.

All five of the students have since been released from the hospital and are "doing fine," said Michael Guilfoyle, spokesman for the Diocese of Providence.

Lepore said the students were in the lower church of St. Mary's for a prayer service and presentation on Our Lady of Guadalupe when some students said they felt dizzy and nauseous.

The Church was immediately evacuated and Cranston Police and Fire Departments were called to the scene. Lepore praised their "rapid response to the situation at the church and for the professional care they provided to students and faculty."

First responders stayed at the church into the afternoon to make sure any student suffering ill effects could be quickly assessed.

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung also went to the school to offer any assistance the city could provide, Lepore said.

"We are blessed to have so many individuals who care about St. Mary's students here in our community," Lepore said.

The school sent out a School Reach announcement today to notify parents of the situation. Parents who did not receive the announcement are urged to notify the school immediately to update contact information.

"The safety of your children remains our foremost priority. While the Church has reopened, until the cause of this matter is identified, please know that students will not be allowed to enter the lower level Church nor will any school related activities take place in that area," Lepore said.

Reports on the number of sick and hospitalized students varied throughout the day. Some reports said nine students were hospitalized. The official count, according to Lepore's letter, is five hospitalized and 13 sick all told.

Guilfoyle said tomorrow's 8 a.m. Daily Mass at St. Mary has been moved to the adjacent St. Ann Parish.