Oristano School Suspends Classes Following Disinfection Odors
Students and staff at the Leonardo Alagon middle school in Oristano faced a sudden closure on Monday, October 26, 2026, after lingering chemical smells from a weekend disinfection made classrooms unusable. La Nuova Sardegna reported that the emergency notice reached families just minutes before the morning drop-off, forcing parents to alter their schedules with virtually no advance warning.
The municipal administration and school leadership acted to suspend classes as a precaution. While the disinfectant product itself complied with safety regulations and was applied by a certified specialist firm hired by the municipality, the strong odor remained pervasive across both floors of the building, prompting the second abrupt shutdown in days.
How the Weekend Disinfection Unfolded at Leonardo Alagon
The sequence of disruptions began on Friday, October 23, 2026, when Comune di Oristano arranged for a specialized contractor to clean and sanitize the entire school complex.
When the school reopened on Saturday, October 24, 2026, the heavy chemical scent quickly overwhelmed the indoor spaces. Students had to be evacuated from the building, and staff members resorted to wearing protective masks indoors. Although officials initially hoped the situation would stabilize over the weekend, Monday morning inspections confirmed the odor persisted.
School Leadership and Municipal Response
Headmistress Blanche Maria Rita Sanna conducted an early morning inspection around 7:30 a.m. on Monday and found the disinfectant smell still hung heavily throughout the structure. She immediately contacted the municipal authorities to review the safety conditions.
Considerate le segnalazioni ricevute e nell’interesse della sicurezza degli alunni e del personale, abbiamo ritenuto opportuno adottare una decisione prudenziale e sospendere le attività didattiche per la giornata,
Sanna stated, noting that the late notice was unavoidable because the severity of the air quality could only be verified during early morning checks.
Municipal public works engineers confirmed that the cleaning agents met all legal standards. Despite the product’s regulatory compliance, the administration prioritized caution to protect the health of everyone in the building.
Scheduled Return to Classrooms
Normal instruction is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. School officials anticipate that the extra day of airing out the facility will clear the remaining disinfectant vapors, allowing students to return to a safe and odor-free learning environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Oristano School Closure
Why were the lessons suspended at Leonardo Alagon on Monday, October 26, 2026?
Headmistress Blanche Maria Rita Sanna suspended classes because a strong chemical odor from a recent disinfection remained present on both floors of the building. The decision was made to protect the health and safety of students and staff.
Who performed the sanitation work at the school?
A specialized and certified contractor executed the cleaning on Friday, October 23, 2026, on behalf of the Comune di Oristano to address issues following roof water infiltrations.
When are classes expected to resume?
Regular instruction is scheduled to restart on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, following the precautionary one-day suspension.
Keep reading