West Valley school evacuated as firefighters investigate gas leak

BUCKEYE, Arizona – Buckeye Union High School was evacuated Friday after a possible gas leak was discovered on the West Valley campus.

The Buckeye Fire Department was dispatched to the high school to investigate a strong odor coming from two buildings on campus. Firefighters discovered that some gas meters were reading incorrectly.

12News was told that an appliance in the school's utility building may have been leaking.

The campus was evacuated as a precaution to protect students and staff. Students were excused for the day due to the incident. Southwest Gas and the Fire Department continue to investigate the incident.

>> Download the 12News app to get the latest local breaking news delivered straight to your phone.

Locals call the Phoenix metropolitan area “The Valley.” It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the southwest.

In addition to Phoenix, the valley consists of several major cities, including:

• Table Mountain
• Chandler
• Scottsdale
• Tempe
• Glendale
• Surprise
• Peoria
• Gilbert
• El Mirage
• Avondale
• Litchfield Park
• Goodyear
• buckeye

Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on its location in relation to Phoenix.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the valley's cities have a total population of 4,845,832, making it the 11th-largest metropolitan area in the country, just behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.

How big is Maricopa County?

According to the 2020 census, Maricopa County is the fourth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 4,485,414.

The county is home to approximately 63% of Arizona's population and has an area of ​​9,224 square miles, making it larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire).

One of the largest park systems in the country is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open park space with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, nature centers and campgrounds.

The county seat is in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and, according to the census, the fifth-largest city in the United States.

The district was named after the Maricopa or Piipaash Indian tribe.