Pembroke school forced to close down because of foul odor

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http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=61246

Pembroke school forced to close down because of foul odor

By Associated Press

Friday, December 31, 2004

PEMBROKE, Mass. - Students will finally return to ville

Elementary School on Monday, nearly a month after the school was

closed because of an odor that made some children sick.

The school was closed on Dec. 7 after parents complained and

its more than 600 students were dispersed among three other Pembroke

schools. Health officials now say they have identified and

eliminated the odor.

An air quality inspector determined that the smell - variously

compared to burnt rubber, rotten eggs and new sneakers - came from a

rubber sealant sprayed on the cafeteria ceiling in November to fix a

mold problem.

The inspector, who was hired by the Board of Health, detected

hazardous vapors that can be harmful if breathed or absorbed into

the skin. Students were exposed to it for one day in November before

the cafeteria was sealed off with plastic.

Workers removed the rubber sealant and sanded the ceiling to

remove any residue. Further testing showed no dangerous fumes, said

Fred Leary, the town's health inspector.