GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The home of a Lincoln Elementary School student believed to have brought a vial of mercury to school Tuesday is now condemned because of dangerous levels of the toxin.
The Brown County Health Department has declared the Shawano Avenue house “a human health hazard” and “dangerous and unsafe.” Signs on the house state that it cannot be used for human habitation or occupancy.
Officials with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department confirm that the student who took the vial to the school lives at that house.
All students and staff members were evacuated, first outside, then brought into the school’s cafeteria for several hours before they could be checked for possible exposure to the mercury. Officials say it all began when some children were playing with a vial of it outside in the morning.
District officials say the school is closed Wednesday for cleaning after testing revealed high levels of mercury in some parts of the building. The school is expected to be back in session Thursday.
On Tuesday, none of the students showed apparent effects of mercury poisoning when emergency crews checked them out. By Wednesday afternoon, the school’s principal said she had not heard of any students sickened or showing effects.
No students will be disciplined from the incident, the principal said.
The mother of the student says her daughter believed the substance was some sort of arts and crafts supply. She says her children found one vial of mercury at another older home she was cleaning. The mom says none of her children have shown any effects from the mercury.
The Green Bay Area Public School District’s facilities manager says the district does not have an estimate on how much the clean-up process will cost. The clean-up is expected to last a few hours Wednesday. Staff from the state DNR and federal EPA are on site, as well as private contractor hired by the district.
A district spokesperson says according to Green Bay police, the parents of the student who had the mercury don’t face any discipline, either.
