GorhamThursday, November 12
Gorham lays out a plan to find the cause of Narragansett Elementary's gas problems
The Daily Portland team
If you have a child at Narragansett Elementary, here's where things stand. The school closed for the fourth time in a year over gas, and Superintendent Heather Perry told families Monday that three recent leaks came from gas regulator failures. Staff are checking whether the regulators are faulty.
Narragansett has far more regulators than the district's other elementary schools
- More than 40
- regulators installed at Narragansett
- About 6
- regulators combined at the other two elementary schools
- 4
- closures over gas issues in a year
Source: The Portland Press Herald
The Nov. 4 closure involved a gas odor, not a leak: officials believe an air handler drew in gas vented outside from the regulators. For now, the school is installing six sensors, Johnson & Jordan staff inspect each morning, and students keep coats on chair backs so they stay warm if they evacuate.
- Replacing regulators, if confirmed: about $150,000
- Install window: a 10-day span with no students
- New heating system: likely several million dollars and a ballot question
- Updates: Perry will send parents one every Thursday
Narragansett reopened a day after its Nov. 4 gas odor closure
- Dec. 2025Narragansett is evacuated midday, then closed two straight days after a gas leak.
- Nov. 4Classes are canceled after a gas odor is reported that morning.
- Nov. 5The school reopens after inspectors detect no gas leaks.
- Nov. 9Officials hold a community meeting on gas safety at the school.
Source: WMTW
Sources: The Portland Press Herald, WMTW