Upstate School Evacuated After Students, Staff Experience Sudden Illness

Laurens County, S.C. – An unexpected incident at Gray Court-Owings School caused a sudden evacuation on Thursday afternoon, August 15, 2024. Students and staff members were quickly taken out of the building after experiencing sudden illness. The situation prompted an urgent investigation by local authorities.

Initial Concerns and Immediate Action

The Laurens Fire Department arrived promptly, initially suspecting **carbon monoxide poisoning** as the cause. However, after a thorough check, carbon monoxide was ruled out. With the immediate danger mitigated, attention turned to pinpointing the exact cause of the illnesses.

Investigating the Cause

Early Friday, district authorities confirmed that food-related issues were also ruled out. The night before, a deep cleaning of the school was conducted as a precautionary measure. It was eventually considered that a possible **stomach virus** might be to blame, given that there were reported cases among students on Wednesday.

Actions Taken for Safety

For the time being, all after-school events were canceled to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff members. The district is maintaining a cautious approach, urging parents to keep their children at home if they are displaying any symptoms of illness.

Waiting for More Information

The incident is still under investigation as authorities are working diligently to uncover the root cause. The community awaits further updates and strives to return to a sense of normalcy.

As always, we will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.