A Massachusetts school, damaged by a recent fire, will remain open despite the teachers’ union requesting its closure because of asbestos removal.

In November of 2016, a wing of Bruce School, a school in Lawrence, Massachusetts caught on fire during a school day. All 525 students and 70 staff escaped safely as local firefighters battled the blaze.

The fire only severely damaged one classroom, however one entire wing of the school has been closed for repairs. However, contractors discovered asbestos in the ceiling tiles of the damaged classroom and wing.

When asbestos is found in a building that is being renovated or repaired, an asbestos removal procedure must take place.

School Should Be Closed During Asbestos Removal

The problem with this situation, however, is that class is still occurring in other parts of the school while the asbestos removal project is taking place.

The head of the Lawrence Teachers Union is calling for the entire school to be shut down while the asbestos removal project takes place. The project will encompass removing as many as 5,000 asbestos-laden ceiling tiles.

However, the school is continuing to hold classes in other parts of the school.

Frank McLaughlin, the head of the teachers union, said, “If it breaks up, it causes cancer. That’s very concerning. I’m uncomfortable with teachers and students there while they’re removing asbestos in another wing. All of that is connected.”

Removing the tiles is the first step in the asbestos removal project for Bruce School. The entire renovation project for the fire-damaged wing will cost $2 million.

The wing where the fire took place housed seventh and eighth graders who have now been relocated to a different school to continue their classes.

A different wing of the school houses about 230 fourth and fifth graders and was not damaged in the fire. These students have returned to classes in the undamaged wing.

McLaughlin asked that those students also be relocated until the threat from the asbestos removal has passed and asked that the Department of Public Health regulate the asbestos removal project. He wants the DPH to certify that the air is clear of asbestos particles before allowing students to return to school.

A spokesperson from the school said, “Everyone involved – Lawrence Public Schools, city officials, the Bruce community — shares the conviction that the health of students and staff comes before anything else.”

He went on to say, “The remediation process, which should be finalized over the next couple weeks, will be approved by and coordinated with the state Department of Public Health. We would only move forward with a process that Mass. DPH, contractors, and insurers agree prioritizes occupant safety.”

However, the DPH, according to the agency itself, has no jurisdiction over asbestos removal.