The Chicago school system has installed about 5,900 carbon monoxide detectors in schools in the month since 89 teachers and students were sickened by the fumes at a Northwest Side elementary school.
DNAInfo Chicago reports that Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool ordered detectors to be installed in all schools after the Oct. 30 incident at Prussing Elementary School.
An investigation determined that when the boiler malfunctioned, the school building had no carbon monoxide detectors. A detector in the school's boiler room, which is in a separate building, was unplugged.
As a result of the investigation, the district has installed battery-operated detectors within 20 feet of every open flame on district property, including in boiler rooms and kitchens. Additional detectors were installed to cover every 10,000 square feet in schools. In addition, the agreed to parents' demands to replace Prussing Elementary's boiler.
