SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Spanish Fort Elementary students and employees were evacuated shortly before 11 a.m. last week due to a gas leak which was quickly capped off, Baldwin County Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite said. No injuries were reported.

According to Wilhite, school administrators smelled gas and immediately implemented a safety plan and evacuated 780 students and 90 employees from the school. Contractors who were working on developing a new subdivision across from the school ruptured a gas line, he said. Wilhite said school officials called 911, and the contractors reported that they had called the gas company.

Fire authorities were notified soon after the school administrators smelled gas, Wilhite said.

School buildings were cleared, and students were escorted in a single line to nearby athletic facilities opposite from the gas leak area, Wilhite said.

Students and staff were transported to the former Christian Life Center on the Daphne High School campus.

Local law enforcement, including the Spanish Fort Police and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, were notified and participated in the evacuation effort.

“They were absolutely tremendous,” Wilhite said. “The fire authorities used gas detection devices during the evacuation process to make sure no gas fumes or odors were around any child at any time. By the time the third bus had rolled, the gas had been capped. We continued with the evacuation and got an all clear from the fire authorities,” Wilhite said.

Wilhite said the school board’s top priority is the safety of the students and getting them out of harm’s way.

Once students are out of harm’s way, the focus is then directed toward communicating with the parents and informing them of the situation. School officials sent parents, who are enrolled with Notify Me, an e-mail notification shortly after the incident.

Once the gas leak was capped, and fire authorities tested the campus to make sure no gas was detected, the students were loaded on buses at 1:25 p.m., and within 30 minutes, all students were returned to the school for a normal dismissal.

Principal Rebecca Comer was unavailable for comment.

“I stand in absolute awe of the teamwork between Spanish Fort Elementary and Daphne High School, especially being able to feed almost 900 people in short order without a flaw,” Wilhite said.

Some Daphne High School seniors pitched in to help the younger students by helping to serve them lunch.

Wilhite said, according to his recollection, none of the Baldwin County public schools has had a incident like this before where there was a gas leak and an entire school had to be evacuated.

Spanish Fort Fire and Rescue Capt. Brad Jernigan, said the fire station gets about three to four calls a month regarding gas leaks.