Eleven pupils at Waverly Elementary School in Woodstock were treated at a hospital yesterday for minor headaches after they inhaled fumes spewing into their classroom from a faulty kiln.

Officials said the students were taken to Howard County General Hospital, where eight were treated and released and another three were being evaluated.

Ceramics mixed with newspaper in the kiln apparently caused the fumes, and a malfunctioning exhaust system allowed strong odors to drift into a neighboring computer lab where 26 pupils were working, said Capt. Dale Gardner of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

Paramedics took three of the children to the hospital in ambulances and another eight in a Fire and Rescue Services bus, officials said.

Pub Date: 5/27/98