Advertiser Staff

School officials announced they will close Aiea Elementary School tomorrow to allow hazardous materials personnel to inspect the school for possible mercury contamination.

The school will be closed to both students and staff. No employee should report to work at the school until the site is cleared.

School officials learned of the mercury exposure when an Aiea Elementary student brought a bottle of the substance to school. Another student reported late this afternoon that some of the mercury may have leaked from a backpack at the school.

School officials identified about 40 students who may have been exposed to the mercury, about 30 from Aiea Elementary and about 10 from Aiea Intermediate, Aiea High and Makalapa Elementary.

No contamination has been reported at the schools other than Aiea Elementary.