KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Students and parents are reunited Wednesday afternoon at Manual Career and Technical Center at 1215 East Truman Rd. after a carbon monoxide leak earlier in the day at Longfellow Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri.
Seven kids and two adults were hospitalized following the leak Wednesday morning.
KSHB 41 News witnessed parents waiting in line outside the center to reunite with their kids.
Parent Bobby Evans said it was good to see his daughter again after waiting in line.
"It was a little bit of waiting but safety is No. 1," Evans said.
The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department responded to the school around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. Students who were not ill were taken to the technical school roughly 30-40 minutes after being evacuated from Longfellow Elementary. KCPS staff provided the children with blankets to stay warm while outside.
Evans appreciated how organized the process was once he arrived at Manual Tech.
"They were really specific about wanting to make sure that they counted all of the children when they got back here to make sure everyone was accounted for," Evans said.
Evans was impressed with the environment that the district provided in such a short amount of time.
"They seemed to have it under control," Evans said. "Nothing's easy about an emergency but they had it pretty well worked out."
The school district informed families of the carbon monoxide leak and that they may pick up their children from Manual Tech, via text and email.
Parent Sabrina Cannon, who has two kids that attend Longfellow Elementary, felt "a little weary" when she first heard the news.
"It sucks because I hope nothing bad happens and nothing serious happens within [the kids'] system," Cannon said.
Parent Demarius Burnside said he was happy to be reunited with his children, but wished he had been notified of the incident sooner.
"It's a scary sight to send your kid to school, and you're thinking they're safe, and you've got stuff like this going on," Burnside said.
Longfellow Elementary student Demarius Burnside Jr. told KSHB 41 News that he was scared after his classmates began to pass out.
"We're just concerned about getting them checked out again to make sure everything's fine," Fuquana Davis, mother of Burnside Jr., said.
Another Longfellow Elementary student, Aubrey Bunting, said that he didn't feel any of the effects from the leak but thought it was "sickening" to see his classmates be unwell.
Demarius' father said his heart went out to the parents of those students.
"For the ones who had to go to the hospital, I feel sorry for those parents," Burnside said.
Longfellow Elementary students will be allowed to stay at Manual Tech throughout the school day for parents unable to pick up their children. Counselors will be on site to assist children.
The school will resume Thursday at Manual Tech for those who wish to attend. Bus routes will resume as normal.
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