Two Workers Injured as NY School Roof Collapses
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November 2, 2009
The roof of a Pelham elementary school collapsed Saturday afternoon, injuring two construction workers.
Colonial School at 315 Highbrook Avenue in Pelham was undergoing a two-story addition when the school’s front wall pitched out and the roof collapsed, said Pelham Police Chief Joseph Benefico. Workers were cutting the first floor when the accident happened.
Emergency personnel transported the two injured workers to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. The Pelham Union Free School District Superintendent, Dennis Lauro, said a construction company employee told him that one of the workers suffered a sprained ankle; the other worker was more seriously injured and was placed in a medically induced coma to manage the pain.
Pelham Union Free School District closed the school Monday as a precaution. In a letter to Colonial Parents today from Superintendent Dennis Lauro and Colonial’s Principal Janet Rothstein, “Our architects and school officials are conferencing with the New York State Education Department, which must give us clearance to re-open school. Based on the inspection on Saturday, the building is deemed safe. We are also planning a second engineering inspection as an extra precaution. In addition, our Board Construction Steering Committee would like to have the demolition work completed and the site cleared before reopening Colonial.” The letter promised a comprehensive memo to be released later today.
Colonial School classes resume on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with each grade assigned to an alternative location in one of the District’s other schools for the next two weeks. The school will reopen once the District gets clearance from the New York State Education Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Colonial School will be the main topic on the Board of Education’s agenda when they meet tonight at 8:00 pm in Cafeteria C of the high school.
Wager Contracting Co. Inc., of New Rochelle, is the contractor for the construction project and declined to answer questions about the workers' conditions.
If you are a construction worker injured on the job site, you may be entitled to compensation for your injury. Call Napoli Bern Ripka, LLP today at 888-529-4669.