DENVER — At least eight people were injured by a chlorine gas leak and a separate natural gas leak that happened almost simultaneously Friday morning in northeast Denver.
The chlorine leak was reported around 10:38 a.m. Friday at 3910 Joliet St. The leak was eliminated and evacuations were lifted by at 12:15 p.m., according to the Denver Fire Department.
At almost the same time, a natural gas leak was reported at 11200 E. 45th Ave., Denver Fire Capt. Greg Pixley said at a 12:30 p.m. news conference.
Eight people were taken to area hospitals between the two leaks, a Denver Health spokesperson said. Seven were transported to UC Health and one was transported to Children's Colorado. Three children were evaluated on scene and released, said Simon Crittle with Denver Health.
One of the people hospitalized from the chlorine leak was originally listed in critical condition.
Pixley said the business in which the chlorine gas leak happened had a system in place the shut down the leak. The Denver Office of Emergency Management was briefly activated for the incident.
Eight Denver Public Schools were keeping students and staff indoors as of 11:30 a.m. because of the incident. All schools are north of E. 45th Avenue and Peoria Street and include Academy 360, Monarch Montessori, Amesse, Howell, McGlone, Northfield High School, High Tech Elementary and High Tech Early College.
High Tech Early College was evacuated because staff thought they smelled gas, said Jessie Smiley with Denver Public Schools. She said she wasn’t aware of any students being transported to a hospital.
All schools were released back to normal activities at 12:13 p.m.
