Mercury exposure locks down OH school

HICKSVILLE, Ohio (WANE) – Hicksville High School and Middle School is no longer on lock down after mercury was found on a student’s desk Thursday afternoon.

According the Defiance County Emergency Management Agency, when the mercury was discovered some time Thursday morning, the students were evacuated, the room was sealed off immediately and the ventilation was shut off.

Hicksville Schools Superintendent Jesse Steiner said a broken vile of mercury was originally in the science lab and the substance was taken to three different classrooms.

One teacher happened to see a student playing with the mercury with a pencil eraser on their desk and evacuated the students in the classroom immediately.

Currently, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Defiance County Health Department, Defiance County Sheriff's Department and the Hicksville Fire Department are all on the scene.

Students are being tested for mercury and will be dismissed to lunch.

Steiner said they hope to still dismiss on time for the day.

The three classrooms where the mercury was found will be cleaned and shoes will also be tested in an effort to not expose other parts of the school.

An automated message with that information was sent to parents of Hicksville students.

This story will be updated when more details become available.