DENVER (KDVR) — Emergency crews were at Capstone Academy, a charter school in Commerce City, on Friday.
SkyFOX flew over the school around 1 p.m. and spotted at least one firetruck and multiple ambulances. People could be seen standing in a field outside the school and outside the front entrance.
A spokesperson for Xcel Energy told FOX31 that its crews were sent to the school to check on the gas system. The spokesperson initially said they did not find a gas leak, but later sent an update saying crews are on the scene working to repair a line break nearby.
“We do have a line break at this location and crews are on the scene working on repairs. Gas has been turned off,” the spokesperson said.
Xcel later said that an unrelated construction crew had hit a natural gas line near the school.
A spokesperson for Capstone Academy, Cory Olsen, stated the following to FOX31:
“An unrecognizable odor was reported by several students at school today which prompted us to evacuate the building and call the fire department. Police then notified us of a gas leak in the neighborhood and asked us to dismiss school early. Out of an abundance of caution, several students were evaluated by EMS. Thankfully, all the students are well and were picked up by their families. We appreciate the quick response from local fire and police departments.”
The South Adams County Fire Department said in a post on X that several schools in the area are being dismissed early on Friday due to an “incident” in the area as a precaution. The agency said that evaluations were being conducted on the scene. All of the students are safe and have since returned home from school.
A spokesperson for 27J Schools confirmed to FOX31 midday that other area schools were not impacted.
The school is in its inaugural year and it year started on Aug. 13. Capstone Academy, located at 17801 E. 88th Ave., serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade, and plans to expand to the eighth grade, according to a post on Instagram.
According to the school’s Facebook page, there was an event for family members to meet the principal on Friday morning.
FOX31 has a reporter on the scene to gather more information. This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
