Craig Middle School was evacuated this afternoon and eight people were treated at the hospital after a teacher ignited a fire during a science experiment.
Seven 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.
No names of the injured were released.
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 on fire, she said.
“At that point they began the evacuation of the school,” Johnston 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.
Students finished the day’s classes at a neighboring school, Johnston said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
