Light Fixture Accident Hurts Cheerleaders

PHILADELPHIA - On Monday afternoon, students were still heading to the hospital in Philadelphia, a full day after a shattered light sent dangerous chemicals into a high school auditorium.

Fox 29 was on the scene on Monday morning as hazmat crews showed up at Father Judge High School in city's Frankford section.

The light burst late Sunday while students and parents filled the auditorium for a cheerleading competition.

Dozens of people were still being treated later on Monday after the incident.

In fact as many as 50 people may have sought treatment at Frankford and Torresdale hospitals for eye irritation.

Initially, five to 10 victims, several of them cheerleaders, were complaining of eye irritation and visited two or three emergency rooms.

The cheerleaders visited the all-boy school Sunday to participate in a competition being held there.

Hazardous materials crews responded to the school, located on Solly Road in Northeast Philadelphia, before dawn to investigate.

Shortly after 7 a.m., fire officials said says a sodium light fixture broke in the auditorium, releasing a gas that caused the irritation.

The cases led to the quarantining of those two hospital emergency rooms, and the Department of Homeland Security was even notified.

Father Judge students were not scheduled to attend classes Monday due to a faculty in-service day. But fire officials were continuing to block all access to the school well into the morning.