Further demolition of auditorium needed after fire at EF high school

Further demolition of the Elizabeth Forward High School auditorium is needed for crews to access a mechanical room that is key to getting the school up and running after a four- alarm fire tore through the building this month.

Structural engineers, who this week assessed the auditorium and mechanical room located directly below the stage, determined that additional parts of the structure need to be razed for them to complete an evaluation of the electrical equipment, according to a Thursday letter from Superintendent Keith Konyk.

Once they gain access to the space, Mr. Konyk said, crews will be able to “determine if the current electrical switchgear is functional or if we need to continue pursuing secondary electrical options.” The switchgear needs to be fully operational to provide electricity to the rest of the building.

Students have learned remotely since the fire. They will continue with virtual learning until more information regarding the status of the high school is available.

Firefighters responded to the Weigles Hill Road school around 5:30 a.m. Feb. 12 after a passerby reported heavy smoke in the auditorium area of the building.

The blaze was extinguished by 11 a.m. but firefighters kept pouring water on the roof and walls to make sure the fire was out. About that time, concerns about structural damage and a collapse risk in the auditorium forced crews to work from outside.

By noon, an exterior wall appeared to have buckled and cracked. No injuries were reported.

During a school board meeting Wednesday that attracted dozens of community members — many of whom expressed concerns over the district’s response and when students could return to in-person learning — Mr. Konyk said the fire had been contained to the auditorium and the stage.

The lobby, the music wing and several hallways leading to the media center had water damage. Smoke damage, however, impacted the entire building.

Crews last week began demolishing parts of the auditorium to give them access to the mechanical room, which holds electric, water and boiler infrastructure.

“This mechanical room is really key to getting the school back up and operating,” Mr. Konyk said during Wednesday’s meeting. “It was important that any remediation or any type of work on the structure of the auditorium happened in a way that would protect that mechanical room.”

Additionally, Emsworth-based G.S. Jones Restoration Consulting began cleaning accessible areas of the building. That includes wiping down walls and lockers to remove smoke and soot.

An investigation by the Allegheny County Fire Marshal is ongoing.

The lobby, the music wing and several hallways leading to the media center had water damage. Smoke damage, however, impacted the entire building.