NYC public school gym deemed unsafe after 4.8-magnitude earthquake: officials
NEW YORK (PIX11) –A Brooklyn middle school’s gymnasium was deemed unsafe following Friday’s 4.8-magnitude earthquake, according to the Department of Buildings.
The DOB received reports of cracks found on the interior of the school and sent a crew to a comprehensive check of the entire school building, officials said.
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“DOB inspectors and structural engineers were called to the scene at 370 Fountain Avenue in order to conduct a structural stability inspection of the building,” a spokesperson for the DOB said. “After receiving reports of cracks found on the interior of the school, it was determined that masonry bricks near the cracks could potentially pose a safety issue and that the gymnasium should not be occupied until repairs can be made.”
A vacate order for the gymnasium was issued until repairs were made to the building.
DOB engineers did not find any conditions in other areas of the school that would deemed a potential hazard. The rest of the school building can still be used, officials said.
The Department of Education was not immediately available to comment.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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