UPDATE: Napa High Closes Due To Chlorine Smell in Pool; Tuesday's Downed Power Lines to Blame

UPDATED April 30, 11:10 a.m.

Napa High School  was closed for the day this morning -- Wednesday -- because of a strong smell of chlorine coming from the swimming pool on campus.

 Power lines fell from a PG&E pole near the campus around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, knocking out power in the area and closing portions of state Highway 29 at Lincoln Avenue and First Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.

[Previous: Downed Power Lines Cause Traffic Havoc on Hwy 29 in Napa.]

The road reopened around 9 p.m. Napa High is located at 2475 Jefferson St. north of Lincoln Avenue.

The power outage shut down a pump that adds water to the campus pool, but a separate pump that adds liquid chlorine was not affected, Napa city spokesman Barry Martin said.

The subsequent strong smell of chlorine in the air was evident when school staff arrived around 6:30 a.m., Martin said.

The  Napa Fire Department responded and advised closing the school.

Students and staff left the campus by 7:30 a.m., Martin said.

Three school maintenance workers reported trouble breathing and were taken to a hospital for evaluation, according to Martin.

He said it will take several hours before the excess chlorine in the pool passes through the pool's filters now that the water pump is working again.

The Napa County Department of Environmental Health was still at the scene this morning, Martin said.
  
CHP Officer Anna Paulson said the power lines were across both sides of Highway 29 Tuesday night.

The northbound lanes of Highway 12 at First Street and the southbound lanes at Lincoln Avenue were closed, Paulson said.

Two vehicles were stuck in place on the highway between the downed power lines and waited for PG&E to confirm the lines were no longer live, she said.

Patch reader Belle (Orchid Lady) also reported that Valley Oak High School was also canceled today because of the proximity to Napa High.
  
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Wednesday, April 30, 9 a.m.

Napa High School is closed today -- Wednesday -- due to a suspected chemical leak at the pool.

Students were evacuated this morning and classes are cancelled, officials said.

The Napa Fire Department is on the scene and investigating.

--Bay City News contributed to this story.