All Los Angeles Unified Schools Impacted by the Delta Airlines Airplane Fuel Discharge Open Today (01-15-20)

On Tuesday afternoon, a Delta Airlines airplane discharged fuel while making an emergency landing at the Los Angeles International Airport. Three Los Angeles Unified schools were directly impacted by the discharge, while about 20 others experienced effects of the odor from the dispersion of fuel at higher altitude.

All students and school staff who were affected by the discharge or odor were evaluated and treated on site by health and safety staff from schools, Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Educators also visited every classroom to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all school communities.

The County of Los Angeles Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division, the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health have visited all impacted schools and conducted air monitoring.

In addition, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division provided guidelines on the appropriate process to clean the impacted school campuses. Working closely with these agencies, as well as the Delta Airlines Environmental Compliance Department, the following has been completed at all impacted schools:

• All outdoor lunch tables, outdoor play equipment, drinking fountains and playground surfaces were washed.
• Air-conditioning systems were activated throughout the night to ventilate schools.

Los Angeles Unified and the County of Los Angeles Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division conducted additional air monitoring throughout the night and confirmed all reported schools are safe, ready for occupancy and will be open today.  

Families who would like more information, or feel as if they may have been affected by the jet fuel release, are encouraged to call Delta Airlines at 1-800-441-5955. The Los Angeles Department of Public Health has also advised that residents call 211 for health-related questions or for more information regarding this incident.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation, update our families, staff and school communities and work to ensure the safety of our schools.

Los Angeles Unified will continue to provide timely updates at lausd.net, KLCS-TV and on all social media platforms. Families can also call our hotline at 213-443-1300.

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