Clackamas County Fire District No. 1 fire fighters responded to a reported strong smell of natural gas at Oregon City High School at 19761 S. Beavercreek Road in Oregon City today, November 10, 2004, at 4:00 p.m. The smell of natural gas was very strong outside a large area of Oregon City High School and inside the high school.
  When fire fighters arrived they immediately began evacuating the high school and searching for the source of the natural gas leak. Fire fighters evacuated forty students and faculty from the high school including a custodian who was suffering from a general medical condition. The custodian was transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation.
  After thoroughly searching the high school using gas monitors fire fighters were unable to locate the source of the leak inside the building. It was later determined that the strong smell of natural gas in and around the building was not coming from inside the building but from nearly a mile away. The problem began when the Williams Pipeline Co., who is a supplier of natural gas to NW Natural Gas, was venting a high pressure gas line at a venting station located at Hwy. 213 and Henrici Road in Oregon City. The venting of natural gas by the Williams Pipeline Co. was being done to remove natural gas from a pipeline.

  Fire officials believe that due to the cold weather and the fog in the area the natural gas drifted down wind and close to the ground into the Oregon City High School campus where dozens of people smelled the natural gas. The Williams Pipeline Co. did give notification of its planned venting of the pipeline but this information did not reach fire fighters before their response to Oregon City High School. Oregon City High School is closed only for this evening as a precaution. There were no other injuries or damage reported.