JFK Campus to reopen Wednesday

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After a gas explosion partially destroyed the sixth floor of the John F. Kennedy Campus near the end of August, the Department of Education (DOE) says all seven schools there are on track to open on the first day of school on Wednesday.

Following the large, Aug. 20 blast, parents and students worried that repairs would not be complete in time for the start of the school year. Authorities had blamed a massive explosion at the JFK campus on a worker who lit a match in a room full of natural gas.

However, the DOE released a statement saying the building is structurally sound and that air quality tests show no possible dangers. School principals could return to the building last week, and staff could return on Tuesday. Construction on the damaged floor is scheduled to continue throughout the school year, although officials reassured parents the work would not take place during school hours.

The DOE held a town hall meeting at the IN-Tech Academy on Sept. 3 to address parents’ concerns. Representatives from the department and other city agencies involved in repairing the campus came to give updates and answer questions from the crowd.

“The building is safe, it is secure and the air quality is good,” said Lorraine Grillo of the School Construction Authority. She explained workers have already cleared away debris, demolished any potential safety hazards and closed off the damaged areas.

Ms. Grillo also gave an update about the workers injured in the blast, saying that all three were still in the hospital in stable condition and beginning the process of receiving skin grafts as treatment for their burns.

Officials from the Department of Buildings and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene echoed Ms. Grillo’s statements: the engineers found the campus structurally sound and tests revealed the air quality is safe for students. 

“All life safety systems have been repaired; all life safety systems have been tested,” said John Shea, the director of School Facilities for the DOE, referring to the fire alarms and sprinkler system.

JFK Campus, Lorraine Grillo, School Construction Authority, Bronx Theatre, Isabel Angell
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