Smell of natural gas prompts school evacuation, turns out to be rotting cookies

Stephanie Fryer by Stephanie Fryer

A Madison middle school was evacuated Friday afternoon as firefighters investigated a natural gas odor.

Firefighters were sent to Blackhawk Middle School, on Wyoming Way, around 2:50 p.m.

They were greeted on scene by staff and a technician with Madison Gas and Electric.

The technician said his handheld sensor did not detect gas. He also said the strange odor did not have the traditional natural gas odor.

Firefighters then went into the classroom where the odor was initially reported. Firefighters also tried to get a reading on one of their sensors, but could not clock any natural gas readings, according to the report.

Firefighters were able to determine the odor came from a cabinet in the classroom. Inside they found a plastic container filled with rotting cookies and protein bars.

The odor became strong once the lid was removed from the container, the same odor that prompted the evacuation firefighters said.

The building was cleared for re-entry a little after 3 p.m.

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