PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Another Philadelphia school is closing for asbestos concerns.
The Southwark School building at Ninth and Mifflin streets is closing — likely for a week — while crews investigate possible damaged asbestos in the school’s attic. Classes will move to virtual learning.
District spokesperson Monique Braxton said the discovery came during a routine inspection of a schoolhouse fan.
“They discovered areas of dust and debris in the attic,” she said. “The attic floors are made of plaster containing asbestos. It is a relatively older building. So the dust and debris could contain asbestos.”
The Southwark building is 112 years old. Nearly 900 K-8 students attend classes there.
Staff and students were allowed into the building Friday morning to retrieve their belongings, supplies, and medications. Braxton said if the closure extends longer than a week, students will be moved into swing spaces at South Philadelphia High School and Child's Elementary School.
Southwark is the first Philadelphia school building to close for asbestos this school year. Six buildings were closed during the last academic year.