Two contractors and a child were injured at Owings Mills’ McDonogh School after an explosion in the school’s boiler room that partially collapsed a smokestack, school officials said this morning.
A statement released by the school around noon said the student “sustained a minor injury,” and was released from a local hospital after an evaluation.
Two outside contractors also suffered minor injuries, and one was transported to a hospital for an evaluation, the school said.
The note said “all students, faculty, and staff are safe.” School dismissed early at 11 a.m. after the incident, and all afternoon activities there are cancelled.
The blast caused the top of a smokestack connected to the boiler room to crumble, sending bricks falling to the ground. The smoke tower sits adjacent to the Allan Building, and school officials said the area “has been cordoned off.”
Fire department crews were at the campus investigating Wednesday morning, including a collapse team evaluating the stability of the tower. Officials asked drivers to avoid McDonogh Road while teams were responding.
Units were dispatched to the private school just after 8:30 a.m. A photo later posted by the department showed the damaged top of the smokestack.
Update, #McDonogh school explosion, #OwingsMills: 1 adult and 1 child transported w non life threatening injuries. Explosion damaged the shot tower, a smokestack for the boiler room. EA pic.twitter.com/6UJItHtVKy
— Baltimore County Fire Department (@BaltCoFire) September 18, 2019
A school spokeswoman reportedly notified parents about 20 minutes later that the explosion had occurred in the boiler room.
Per its website, the Allan Building houses administrative offices, the school’s business office, its technology department, the counseling office, music studios, choral music space, the Upper School’s humanities department and a library. It was built in 1929 and was recently renovated.
The school said it contacted a structural engineer today “to assess the building and ensure that the surrounding area is safe.”
This story has been updated.
