Bellefonte Area High School classes go online Tuesday after reports of gas odor

Bellefonte Area High School went online Tuesday following reports of a gas-like odor in the building on Monday afternoon.

The Logan and Udine fire companies were called to the high school at about 2:50 p.m. Monday after the smell of gas was reported near the library, according to dispatch reports. According to a post on the Bellefonte Area School District’s Facebook page, the fire departments did not find any hazardous gases and classes resumed.

The district later posted on Facebook that the high school would operate on a Flexible Instruction Day Tuesday due to gas being shut off at the building.

Bellefonte Fire Department Chief Gary Lohr was not at the scene but received the report on the investigation. Lohr said the fire departments contacted Columbia Gas, which also found no signs of hazardous gas.

“We found that the school said that they were smelling it in different parts of the school for an ongoing week or two but it never lasted,” Lohr said. “We found no hazards whatsoever with any of our gas meters.”

Bellefonte administrators did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

This story was originally published November 1, 2022 at 12:16 PM.