Selkirk Elementary School students have found themselves with an unexpected day off after the school was evacuated early this morning due to a fuel spill.

Department of Education spokesman Ronuk Modha said early this afternoon the department was advised by the school of the spill first thing this morning.

Staff arrived only to detect fumes that had made their way through the school’s ventilation system.

The decision was made to evacuate, with staff contacting the 220 students’ families to come and pick up the youngsters for at least the day.

While they waited for their rides, the students were brought to the gym until guardians arrived to pick them up.

Modha noted an alternative plan was also established to take the students to F.H. Collins Secondary School next door if the need arose.

However, families were quick to get their kids while other government departments worked on assessing the situation and cleaning up.

As of early this afternoon, Modha said, Department of Highways and Public Works staff were continuing clean-up.

Families were due to be notified later today if the school would reopen Monday.

Environment Yukon staff were also called out to Selkirk Elementary School this morning when they learned between five and 10 litres of diesel heating fuel had spilled.

Environment Yukon spokeswoman Nancy Campbell said late this morning staff were just returning from the Riverdale school and reporting that the fumes had dissipated from the mishap, which occurred inside the school.

As Campbell explained, there’s a larger oil tank outside that feeds the inside tank where the spill happened.

Fumes from the spill ended up making their way through the school’s ventilation system earlier in the day.