SNOQUALMIE – Seven students at Snoqualmie Middle School became suddenly ill with flu-like symptoms on June 9. One girl was rushed to Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, while six others were taken to Snoqualmie Valley Hospital.

The cause of the students’ illnesses is still undetermined.

Snoqualmie Valley School District Assistant Superintendent Don McConkey said a hazardous materials team from King County, as well as a private air quality consultant, checked the school over but still have not found anything that would cause the students’ symptoms.

“Findings have been negative in every case,” said McConkey. “There was some conversation about flu-like symptoms, it could of been something like that, but we haven’t been able to detect anything that would be of concern.”

The first student began feeling ill late in the morning and 911 was called just before 11:30 a.m. Less than an hour later, a student fainted and was rushed to Overlake, but regained consciousness on the way there. A second student also fainted, hitting their head, and was transported to Snoqualmie Valley Hospital. The Snoqualmie Fire Department and Snoqualmie police arrived on the scene soon after the first student fell ill; the mayor and top administrators from the city and school district also stopped by. Students in the affected class were later evacuated as a precaution.

By the end of the day, several other students had been to the office saying they didn’t feel well.

“It may be nothing,” McConkey said. “It could have been a coincidence. I don’t know if the fainting cases had any thing to do with those not feeling well.”

McConkey said the incident was isolated and does not appear to be food-related. Students in the same class as those who had fallen ill were evacuated. Parents of those who were ill were contacted.

“The common thread was that these students had come from the health-science wing and went to the art-shop wing to get sick, because they were all at shop and art when they got sick. That’s why they evacuated that wing first,” said Jodi Warren, Snoqualmie city spokeswoman. “It’s still a mystery.”

All students were said do be doing well later that evening. The district was still investigating as of June 13.