CRAIG — Craig Middle School was evacuated Tuesday afternoon, and eight people were treated at the hospital after a teacher ignited a fire during a science experiment.
Seven unidentified adults and a 13-year-old student were treated at The Memorial Hospital in Craig, but it was unclear how serious their injuries were, said Samantha Johnston, spokeswoman for Craig Fire/Rescue.
During an experiment in the early afternoon, the teacher exposed sodium metal to air, which sparked a fire, Johnston said. The fire also ignited potassium permanganate stored near the experiment, she said. In an attempt to extinguish the fire, the teacher threw a blanket on the blaze and the blanket also caught fire, she said.
Another teacher used a dry fire extinguisher to put the fire out, Johnston said. No significant damage was caused to the school, she said.
Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post
