Suspected vandalism to a natural gas line on the roof of Castlegar Primary School sent gas flowing into the atmosphere and the building on Monday, July 22.
Fire crews responded around 3:15 p.m. and waited for FortisBC to ensure the power was shut off before entering the building.
"Someone broke the main gas line off that feeds the rooftop unit," said Castlegar Fire Chief Gerry Rempel. "It was free flowing gas into the atmosphere and, in turn, migrated inside the building. It was a very dangerous situation."
Once the power was shut off, crews opened the doors and blew fresh air inside with large fans.
Rempel said he made the RCMP aware of the situation. It's likely that nearby schools would also be checked for any damage.