New Milford High School roof fire won’t affect timeline, cost
NEW MILFORD — After a fire during roof construction caused students to evacuate New Milford High School last week, Mayor Pete Bass said the town will not incur the cost of damages, and the project is still on track.
The school was evacuated in the afternoon Dec. 1 due to smoke from the construction fire. School was canceled the following day before regular classes resumed Dec. 3.
The fire marshal, Kevin Reynolds, reported at the time that workers on the roof had been using a torch when some fiberglass insulation caught on fire. The flames subsequently caught the plywood underlay.
The contractor has taken full responsibility for the accident and has given a full update on the situation to the municipal buildings committee.
“They’ve already contacted their insurance carrier, we’ve contacted ours as well,” Bass said of the contractor.
This summer, the Board of Education and Town Council were informed that the price tag for the project had increased by about $870,000 for a total of $4.76 million. The price increase was a result of rising material and labor costs, and a decrease in the anticipated state aid.
Two sections of the roof were only 19 years old, instead of the requisite 20 years needed to make them eligible for state reimbursement.
To the relief of the town and school board, the expensive project will not have additional costs associated with the recent fire.
Since the incident, the contractor has been working to clean up and repair the area that caught fire. The head of Public Works, Jack Healy, as well as the fire marshal and building inspectors have made sure the area is safe and compliant, Bass said.
Still, the mayor reported that a couple of classrooms on the second floor of the building are not in use because the town wants to make sure the air quality is at the right place before bringing kids back in.
The accident is not expected to cause any delays in the construction schedule. It is due to wrap up at the end of the summer, weather dependent. The school has allowed construction crews to work through the school day during the winter, which may put it ahead of schedule, Bass added.
Down the road, scaffolding has gone up for another roof project— the town hall roof. This next project is not expected to wrap until the fall of 2023.