BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn issued a safety update Monday after concerns arose following a propane leak at an elementary school and a carbon monoxide leak at a high school less than a week apart.
Hepburn’s focus on the situation comes after Oriole Elementary School, located at 3081 NW 39th St. in Lauderdale Lakes, was evacuated Monday morning due to a propane leak near the kitchen, which authorities said resulted in one person being hospitalized.
Just days earlier, a carbon monoxide leak at Cypress Bay High School, located at 18600 Vista Park Blvd. in Weston, sent four staff members and a firefighter to the hospital. Authorities said the campus was evacuated after the leak was discovered in the cafeteria.
Hepburn addressed both incidents on Monday.
“We discovered that we don’t have carbon monoxide detectors in our kitchens, in our cafeterias,” Hepburn said.
Florida law requires buildings constructed after July 1, 2008, to have at least one approved carbon monoxide alarm.
However, Hepburn told Local 10 News that there are currently no codes or laws mandating these detectors in Broward schools.
“We’re going to go above and beyond to make sure we have that extra layer of safety in our facilities so we can detect those gases sooner rather than later,” he added.
Broward parent Nikeisha Porter shared her concerns with Local 10′s Layron Livingston, saying, “It’s shocking that none of the schools in the district have a detector. That’s a safety hazard if it’s not there.”
This issue isn’t new.
Back in 2018, five people, including three children, were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning at Carol City Elementary in Miami-Dade County.
Weeks after the incident, the district installed detectors in all its kitchens and conducted a thorough review and inspection.
“As things arise, we address them as they come,” said Hepburn. “Some things are very hard to predict when it comes to certain types of leaks and issues like that.”
Porter added, “At the end of the day, I hope they’re trying to resolve the issue… I hope they are.”
Looking ahead, Hepburn said the next step involves getting estimates and bids to install detectors in all the kitchens and cafeterias across the district.
There is currently no timeline or cost estimate, but Hepburn hopes to bring the proposal before the school board soon.