Student Killed In Machine Shop Explosion
BARRHAVEN, OTTAWA — A student at Mother Teresa High School was killed after an explosion in a campus automotive shop on May 26. Five other people — four students and a teacher — were also injured when a 55 gallon drum exploded in the shop.
Eric Leighton, 18, died in a hospital late Thursday night, hours after the incident, the Ottawa Citizen reports. He was reportedly cutting the drum for a project when it exploded. The drum contained peppermint oil residue, the vapors of which can ignite when mixed with air.
The school’s 1,400 students were evacuated to Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School after the explosion. The students waited in the gym until their parents arrived.
The day after the accident, the Ottawa police youth section, grief counselors and three school resource officers were stationed at Mother Teresa High School.
Related Articles:
- How School Safety Can Improve Student Achievement
- How Security Can Pay for Itself
- Student Death In Yale Machine Shop Prompts Safety Review
- Are Safety Issues Driving Away Your Students?
If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
