BENLD, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
Some sort of ground shift causes severe damage to the elementary school in Benld, Illinois. The damage is so severe it is unsafe for children and the building might have to be torn down. Classes are canceled Monday district-wide, as administrators consider their options. Students will return to class on Thursday in Benld, Illinois The pre-kindergarten and elementary students are being moved to Gillespie middle and high schools for the last six weeks of the school year.
At least one home in Benld was damaged, too.
"It appears we've had some type of catastrophic event," says Gillespie CUSD Superintendent Paul Skeans. "This building will not be used for the remainder of this year."
Skeans stood in the parking lot of Benld Elementary Sunday afternoon, looking stunned.
"It's throughout the whole building. There's cracks in the floor, cracks in the walls, it's substantial. If I were to guess, I'd guess this building would be closed for a long, long time," says Skeans.
While a team of engineers and mining experts is only in the early stages of its investigation, Skeans believes it's likely mine subsidence that led to the damage.
He says the school opened in 2002 after all the required ground stability tests were done. "We've not had any problems with structural issues whatsoever," he says. The school was not built on a mine. Skeans says he believes something happened underground at one of the many nearby mines, that led to the massive cracks.
The school hosted an event Friday night. Most people were gone by midnight. Skeans says the principal arrived to do some work late Saturday afternoon and found the damage, which Skeans says looks like an earthquake. He would not allow cameras inside, but through a window in the gym door, giant cracks in the floor and wall were visible.
The mysterious cracks reach across the street to the outside and inside of Jennifer Carter's home.
"We found cracks in our bedroom, and our basement is really bad," she said Sunday afternoon, after an insurance agent left their home. "The floor shifted, it's cracked, our garage doors won't close now and the front door won't open."
The Carters were not home Saturday afternoon. When Jennifer arrived home she says she noticed a gaping hole between the door and the wall. Then her husband came home an hour later, noticing the cracks in the driveway.
"We did hear some pops and cracks through out the night," she says. And we heard some this morning. I don't know what's going on," she says.
The family is staying inside their home, despite being able to roll a ball from one side to the other, because of the newly-unleveled floor.
"This is our investment, our home," she says. "We just want things to be right. I'm scared."
Skeans is unnerved.
"Where do we have kids, where do we take them to, how do we set our schedules?" he asks. "It's heartbreaking. You can see the community inside that school. The community's been proud of this building. They voted for it, they donated their time. We're constantly having fundraisers."
Between 650 and 700 students attend Benld Elementary. There are another 35 to 40 teachers and administrators. The district must find a place for all of them for the final six weeks of school Speaks says no decisions have been made, but he is considering sending the elementary students to the high school during the morning hours, then holding class for high schoolers in the afternoons.
"If I were to guess I'd guess this building would be closed for a long, long time," says Skeans. "It's heartbreaking for this community."
At least one home in Benld was damaged, too.
"It appears we've had some type of catastrophic event," says Gillespie CUSD Superintendent Paul Skeans. "This building will not be used for the remainder of this year."
Skeans stood in the parking lot of Benld Elementary Sunday afternoon, looking stunned.
"It's throughout the whole building. There's cracks in the floor, cracks in the walls, it's substantial. If I were to guess, I'd guess this building would be closed for a long, long time," says Skeans.
While a team of engineers and mining experts is only in the early stages of its investigation, Skeans believes it's likely mine subsidence that led to the damage.
He says the school opened in 2002 after all the required ground stability tests were done. "We've not had any problems with structural issues whatsoever," he says. The school was not built on a mine. Skeans says he believes something happened underground at one of the many nearby mines, that led to the massive cracks.
The school hosted an event Friday night. Most people were gone by midnight. Skeans says the principal arrived to do some work late Saturday afternoon and found the damage, which Skeans says looks like an earthquake. He would not allow cameras inside, but through a window in the gym door, giant cracks in the floor and wall were visible.
The mysterious cracks reach across the street to the outside and inside of Jennifer Carter's home.
"We found cracks in our bedroom, and our basement is really bad," she said Sunday afternoon, after an insurance agent left their home. "The floor shifted, it's cracked, our garage doors won't close now and the front door won't open."
The Carters were not home Saturday afternoon. When Jennifer arrived home she says she noticed a gaping hole between the door and the wall. Then her husband came home an hour later, noticing the cracks in the driveway.
"We did hear some pops and cracks through out the night," she says. And we heard some this morning. I don't know what's going on," she says.
The family is staying inside their home, despite being able to roll a ball from one side to the other, because of the newly-unleveled floor.
"This is our investment, our home," she says. "We just want things to be right. I'm scared."
Skeans is unnerved.
"Where do we have kids, where do we take them to, how do we set our schedules?" he asks. "It's heartbreaking. You can see the community inside that school. The community's been proud of this building. They voted for it, they donated their time. We're constantly having fundraisers."
Between 650 and 700 students attend Benld Elementary. There are another 35 to 40 teachers and administrators. The district must find a place for all of them for the final six weeks of school Speaks says no decisions have been made, but he is considering sending the elementary students to the high school during the morning hours, then holding class for high schoolers in the afternoons.
"If I were to guess I'd guess this building would be closed for a long, long time," says Skeans. "It's heartbreaking for this community."
