Fenton student collapses in gym class

A 16-year-old Fenton High School student collapsed in her gym class this morning and was rushed to a hospital, where she was in critical condition.

The girl, whose name was not disclosed, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital.

The girl was running when she collapsed at the Bensenville school. When teachers reached her, she did not have a pulse and had stopped breathing, officials said.

"Her heart stopped," Bensenville Fire Protection Chief Mike Spain said. "We don't know why it stopped. Truthfully, the physicians do not know why it stopped yet."

The fire department received the call at 10:19 a.m. and arrived on the scene three minutes later, Spain said.

By the time paramedics arrived, school officials had already delivered basic life support -- that included the use of an automated external defibrillator -- and restored her pulse and breathing.

"We followed up immediately with advanced life support procedures and it resulted in a very positive outcome," Spain said. "This truly is a situation where teamwork worked to the benefit of the patient. This is truly a credit to everyone involved."