Students were evacuated Tuesday after a fifth grader brought a vial of mercury to Lincoln Elementary School in Green Bay.
Now, the school will be closed Wednesday according to district leaders.
It happened Tuesday morning when a handful of fifth graders were discovered playing with the potentially toxic substance.
About 250 kids were forced outside into December weather Tuesday morning as the principle of Lincoln Elementary discovered that six fifth graders were playing with mercury brought from a student's home.
"The students opened up the vile, and they were moving it around," says Principal Angela Hager, "so some of it did get spilled in the school."
After about 20 minutes outside, all of the children were brought back into the cafeteria--with the exception of those fifth graders--into an area where the fire department had determined was mercury free.
"We just want everybody to go home safe today," says Nick Craig, of the Green Ba Metro Fire Department, "and it does take a little time to make sure that we do that correctly."
From about 11 am till nearly 4:30 pm, the kids were held in the cafeteria. No one could come in, and no one could go.
"No if's ands or buts about it," said grandmother Becky Haen, waiting outside for permission to take her granddaughter out of the school, "you are not taking your child."
"We don't want to go home, sit at home, and wait for good or bad news to come," says mother of students Julie Pocan. "We want to be here for our kids and if you look around we got parents everywhere."
A device that can detect mercury levels was used throughout the building and determined there was no significant threat. The same device was also used on the children's clothing before anyone was allowed to leave Tuesday evening.
"We want to make sure that the kids are safe," says Hager, "and that no one is tracking mercury back to their homes, and exposing their families, or anybody else to anything that's unsafe."
And while the amount of mercury exposed to this building was just three millimeters--less than a table spoon--it definitely put a scare into the parents of these kids.
Late Tuesday evening, school leaders released more information, saying the vial of mercury was also at Franklin Middle School.
The hazmat team determined there is not any danger at the school now.
The public is asked to stay away from the area.
UPDATE:
According to district leaders, they were notified that the same mercury vial had been at Franklin Middle School on Monday. A portion of the Hazardous Material Team was deployed to Franklin to determine if there was mercury exposure where the vial had been reported to have been within the school.
Around 2:50 p.m., the Hazardous Material Team gave the all clear at Franklin.
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UPDATE:
Classes will be canceled Wednesday at Lincoln Elementary School in Green Bay.
No staff or students should report tomorrow, including 4K and early childhood.
The public is also asked to stay off school grounds, including the playground, until the Hazardous Material Team has finished its work.
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Lincoln Elementary School officials say that a scanner used by the hazmat team has detected mercury after scanning the shoes of a few students who had direct contact with the vial.
The Lincoln Elementary School principal said that after being scanned most of the school is at a relatively low risk for mercury.
While it was announced earlier that students would be released at 3:30 p.m., school officials are now saying that it could take another 45 minutes before all of the students are scanned for traces of mercury.
School officials say that all children will be going home today.
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Franklin Middle School will hold Lincoln Elementary students until 3:00 p.m. while a hazmat team investigates potential mercury exposure.
Certain after school activities have already been canceled.
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Lincoln Elementary School says that earlier this morning approximately 3 millimeters of what is assumed to be mercury was handled by six 5th grade students.
Reports indicate that the 5th graders were handling a vial of silver liquid and that some of the contents spilled.
It is believed that one of the 5th graders may have brought the vial of silver liquid from home.
Officials are not saying why the child may have brought the vial of silver liquid to school.
The school says that there have been no medical concerns reported so far and that everyone appears to be healthy.
A hazmat team from Milwaukee is on their way to test students' clothing and shoes for traces of mercury.
School officials say this is a precautionary measure so that they do not send students who could have mercury on their clothing home.
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Lincoln Elementary School was evacuated this morning due to possible mercury contamination.
Police and fire departments are currently onsite.
City buses will be arriving shortly to provide a warm place for students to wait while police and firefighters evaluate the situation.
Lori Blakeslee, Lincoln Elementary's director of communications and public relations, says that students will not be dismissed until they have been checked by medical personnel as a precautionary measure.
All afternoon 4K and early childhood classes have been canceled.
"We will continue to communicate as we have more information," Blakeslee said. "Parents are asked not to come to school until we have more information as to when students will be released."
Lincoln students were brought back into a determined safe area of the building under the direction of the Police and Fire Department.
Students continue to remain in the safe area and have been served lunch.
