Update 3:30pm
Parents picking up middle school students and Ferndale High School dismissal both occurred on the high school campus at the same time today. This resulted in a logjam of traffic on the nearby side streets and in the parking lots for nearly an hour. High school students were not able to drive out of the underclass parking lot for a short while after dismissal in an effort to keep traffic moving in the area.
Update 2:15
The District has announced to parents picking up Horizon Middle School students to do so at Ferndale High School. Students riding the bus will be taken home as is normally done.
Update 1:55pm
Ferndale School District Superintendent Linda Quinn says schools remain on their regular dismissal schedules.
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Quinn said between 12 and 20 students across Horizon, Eagleridge and Cascadia schools complained of feeling ill. None of those students required any treatment.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management (DEM) Deputy Director John Gargett said none of the nearby industrial facilities reported any gas emissions.
No determination regarding the source of the odor has been announced.
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A smell of a yet unconfirmed type of gas is being looked at after at least three students complained of burning eyes and/or coughing at Horizon Middle School shortly after noon today.
Fire and aid officials from Whatcom County Fire District 7 are on the scene and are communicating with Whatcom Department of Emergency Management to determine the cause.
School activities appear to be continuing normally.
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Click for more informationA parent said their child had called by phone because they had burning eyes. During the conversation, the parent said, two other children could be heard coming to the office coughing.
There had been an earlier dispatch for WCFD7 to investigate gas odor in the Pacific Heights area.
This story will be updated as additional information is available.