Niles Township students of the Community Evangelical Free Church at 120 E. Bertrand Road were evacuated to another wing of the building Wednesday afternoon, due to an odor of gasoline.

Two units from the Niles Township Fire Department and a SMCAS ambulance responded to the scene around 11 a.m.

There were approximately 80 people in the building, including home-schooled students from preschool to high school. No one was injured and nobody requested medical assistance.

Pastor of the church Matt Hickok said that after evacuation, they sent students home early.

Authorities used a multi-ray detector, which picked up high hydrocarbon readings indicating the presence of gas and a lower level explosive danger, said Fire Chief Gary Brovold.

The odor was traced to either a snow blower or gas can leak in the basement, where an approximate gallon of gasoline had spilled onto a wooden shelf attached to the stairs where the machine and gas can were stored. The gas had likely been oozing from the source for more than a week, authorities said.

Brovold said had authorities not been notified, the leak could have caused something as serious as a fire or an explosion.

“All it needed was right mixture and ignition source and it could have exploded,” Brovold said.

It took authorities about 30 minutes to secure the building. The gasoline soaked wood had to be removed. Crews also worked to begin the process for ventilation.

A fan was placed in the doorway to bring in fresh air and the door nearest the leak was opened to provide airflow.

People were allowed to re-enter the building after about an hour.  Brovold said that authorities would continue to monitor the building and continue ventilation until necessary.

Brovold said that the incident serves as a reminder to people to properly store equipment containing gas and propane.

“Storing gas inside is not a good,” Brovold said.  “[You should] store [these items] in a detached shed.”

Brovold commended the school for calling right away when they noticed the smell.