Elgin middle school safely evacuated after gas leak

Students were evacuated for a few hours on Wednesday from Abbott Middle School in Elgin after a road construction crew caused a gas leak, Elgin police said.

The leak was discovered at 10:36 a.m. at Shuler Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Elgin Police Cmdr. Glenn Theriault said. “A road construction crew somehow dug through the line,” he said.

There were no injuries, and parents were being notified that students were transported to Larkin High School, said Patrick Mogge, Elgin Area School District U-46 director of school and community relations.

About 540 kids in seventh- and eighth-grade were evacuated. They had returned to school by 2 p.m. or so after the school district received the all clear from the Elgin Fire Department, Mogge said.

The school was to have a normal dismissal at the end of the school day, he said.

Students had a pizza lunch while waiting at Larkin, he added.