VALLEY ROUNDUP : Lancaster : Foul Fumes Force School Evacuation

Five pregnant girls and two infants were evacuated from a county education building Thursday morning after complaining of nausea that was caused by a chemical cleaner, officials said.

The girls, enrolled in the Avenue J pregnant minor program, complained of a strong chemical odor and burning eyes at the school at 660 W. Ave. J about 8 a.m., said Inspector Mark Tolbert of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The girls’ symptoms were caused by a cleaner used by a custodial company Wednesday, and the classroom was improperly ventilated, said Rick de la Torre, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. The girls and infants were taken to Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center and Lancaster Community Hospital, where they were treated and released, he said.

“Our concern was the safety of the girls and the infants,” De la Torre said. “We are looking at what procedures were involved and how to avoid this kind of problem.”

Classes were canceled Thursday at the school and firefighters aired out the classrooms with large fans, De la Torre said. About 60 students attend the pregnant minor program and the Six-Sixty Center Independent Study School.