Penn Valley Elementary School students were removed from the building due to a gas odor. The gas source was found and fixed, officials said.
Oct 21, 2025 9:26 am EDT | Updated Oct 21, 2025 1:41 pm EDT
NARBERTH, PA — The gas odor at Penn Valley Elementary School has been identified and fixed, according to the Lower Merion School District.
Officials said students were being kept outside and far from the building as of about 9:20 a.m. Tuesday.
By about 10:30 a.m., emergency responders identified the source of the odor and have fixed the issue.
Malfunctions in a kitchen steamer and in a kitchen fan led to the issue, the district said.
The steamer was taken out of service and the kitchen fan is being repaired.
Officials said the odor has dissipated from the building and that students will have lunch in their classrooms today.
The day will proceed as usual, otherwise, the district said.
“LMSD is grateful for the quick response of the Lower Merion Police and Fire Departments to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” the district said in a social media post. “Again, we are grateful to our emergency responders and LMSD staff who responded quickly and helped ensure the safety of our students throughout this incident.”