Seventy-two students at Lees-McRae College near Boone were taken to the hospital overnight following what appears to be a gas leak in a dormitory.
WBTV reports residents of the Avery Residence Hall were evacuated from the building after a student complained of feeling sick and smelled an unusual scent.
“Some students in one of our residence halls, Avery, reported feeling unwell to our staff,” Lees-McRae Vice President for Planning and External Relations Blaine Hansen told the Watauga Democrat. “In an abundance of caution, we evacuated the building and emergency services was called.”
Of the students admitted to the hospital, all but five have since been treated and released and everyone is expected to be OK, according to Avery County officials. Investigators are not aware of the specific cause of the gas leak but are looking into the matter.
In the meantime, students weren't being immediately allowed back in the building. Lees-McRae is a private college in Banner Elk.