Two days in a row, Jordan School District middle schools have been closed because of safety threats to students and teachers.
On Thursday, a hazardous materials spill -- which turned out to be mercury -- closed Joel P. Jensen Middle School, 8105 S. 3200 West.And Friday, a "ticking" noise heard in a student locker at Indian Hills Middle School, 1180 E. Sanders Road (11620 South), sent students and staff on an unscheduled field trip to Alta High School to wait out an investigation by the Salt Lake County bomb squad.
At press time Friday, the bomb squad was using a robot to examine the locker, which had wires protruding from an opening, but officials had not yet determined if the threat was real, Sandy Police Sgt. Kevin Thacker said.
Meanwhile, specialized crews continued their cleanup of Joel P. Jensen Middle School Friday after a hazardous chemical spill led to the school's evacuation and closure Thursday afternoon.
Principal Michael Sirois said school officials were alerted to the spill about 12:30 p.m. during the school's second lunch period when a girl rushed into the administration office and said another student had spilled some mercury in the school's cafeteria.
The student apparently brought several vials of liquid mercury from home, which was spilled in the school's cafeteria and in at least one other room. Officials are still trying to determine where he got the highly toxic substance, or why he brought it to school, said West Jordan Police detective Mark Benzon.
Sirois estimated more than 40 students came into contact with the mercury, in the cafeteria and at various other times during the day. The student who brought the vials apparently showed the substance to friends and onlookers; one friend was playing with the chemical in the cafeteria during lunch when the spill occurred.
Emergency personnel were called in immediately after school officials were notified of the spill, Sirois said.
Then, according to district procedure, students were confined to their classrooms while the gravity of the situation was assessed. The school was evacuated a short time later, then dismissed.
"The amount of mercury spilled was minute," Sirois said, "but we wanted to err on the side of caution."
Paramedics, hazardous-materials and other emergency crews were on hand to attend to any students exhibiting symptoms of mercury poisoning, including nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and diarrhea.
Three students were treated in a mobile decontamination facility for minor symptoms, said Salt Lake County Fire Capt. Jack Rentink. Two of the students were exposed to the mercury in the cafeteria.
The third was eighth-grader Brian Bowles, who said he discovered a "small blob" of the liquid substance under his computer in his fifth-period typing class, located just around the corner.
"It felt like water," Bowles said, shortly after being released from the HAZMAT decontamination unit. "So, I picked it up and played with it."
He got the silvery matter on his hands, face, mouth and clothing. About 20 minutes later, Bowles said he started feeling nauseous and dizzy.
By that time, students had already been confined to their classrooms because of the spill in the cafeteria, Bowles said. So, he waited until Sirois called all students who had come into contact with the mercury to the waiting medical units.
He was treated and released on site, but still complained of feeling ill.
Cleaning crews worked late into the evening Thursday, Sirois said. Friday, special equipment was flown in from Denver to scan for any last trace amounts of the substance, Sirois said.
Classes will resume Monday. Sirois said students will likely be required to make up some of the lost time, possibly on Presidents Day.
The parents of the students responsible for the spill have been contacted and disciplinary action will be taken, Sirois said. But a specific course of action (such as suspension or expulsion) has not yet been determined.
Police are still determining whether they will cite the young man, or seek some kind of restitution for the cost of the cleanup, Benzon said. Sirois estimated it would take "thousands upon thousands of dollars" to complete the procedure.
School officials will keep tabs on students who were exposed to the mercury, Sirois said.
Meanwhile, parents are advised to monitor their children closely for signs of mercury poisoning, the minor symptoms of which can include persistent headaches, nausea and dizziness. If children manifest any of these symptoms, parents are urged to alert medical and school officials.
Parents are also cautioned to destroy clothing the children were wearing if they came into contact with the substance, or bring the articles to the school for safe disposal.
Deseret News staff writer Jennifer Dobner contributed to this story.