Division Ave. High School to reopen as no asbestos found, district says
Division Avenue High School in Levittown, which was closed Thursday, May 5, 2016, to students and faculty to inspect for asbestos, will reopen on Friday, May 6, 2016. Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Classes will resume Friday at Division Avenue High School in Levittown after testing for asbestos contamination were negative, a school district spokeswoman said.
The school had been closed to students and faculty Thursday while the asbestos inspection was completed, the spokeswoman said.
According to an alert on the Levittown Public Schools website, a contractor replacing light fixtures Wednesday inadvertently drilled into an area where the hazardous material was suspected of being present.
Two tests conducted Thursday by J.C. Broderick & Associates, a Hauppauge environmental firm, found no asbestos fibers in the air, according to the spokeswoman.
“We appreciate the patience of our community as we worked to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” the spokeswoman said in an email.
U.S. health officials have classified asbestos, whose fibers are easily inhaled and carried into the lower regions of the lung, as a carcinogen. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma.
With Gary Dymski
Division Avenue High School in Levittown, seen in a 2012 photo, was closed Thursday, May 5, 2016, because of concern over possible asbestos, district officials said. Credit: Newsday file
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