A Harford County principal was slapped with two hazardous materials violations yesterday for delaying reports of two gas leaks at Riverside Elementary School in Joppatowne.
James W. Terrell, chief of the county's Emergency Operations Center, said the citations were issued to the school's principal, Beretta Y. Goodwin, for failure to report the release of natural gas and carbon monoxide at the school. "We felt she was the one who was noncompliant," Chief Terrell said.
The violations stemmed from incidents Jan. 25, when a faulty chimney fan sent nonpoisonous fumes through the main school building, and Feb. 3, when natural gas leaked in a kindergarten annex at the school on Stillmeadow Drive.
Some children and teachers complained of headaches and nausea at the time.
"We're very concerned," Chief Terrell said. "We should have been notified so we could have dispatched fire equipment and the HazMat team."
The principal, who was unavailable for comment, has 14 days to respond to the complaints, Chief Terrell said. She then would have to appear before the local emergency planning committee. Each violation carries a $1,000 fine.
Chief Terrell said his department is investigating the leaks. "We are going to continue monitoring the air in the school on a daily basis," he said. Yesterday, "we got absolutely nothing," he said.
On Thursday, parents picketed Riverside and kept 177 of the school's 594 students out of school until the school system could install 41 carbon monoxide monitors in classrooms. Most students returned yesterday.
County Executive Eileen M. Rehrmann has agreed to meet with Riverside parents at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss their concerns. "We have brought this issue to the attention of the school system," she said. "It's an issue of public safety for children."
Mrs. Rehrmann already has responded to some of the parents' worries by promising to find money to repair the school's roof and heating and cooling rooftop units, a project that will cost $900,000.