A site print located two possible old gas wells that may cause
low levels of gas detected at Admiral Ernest J. King Elementary School
in Lorain. The school remains closed because of traces of gas in the building since late September.
Lorain City Schools Superintendent Tom Tucker said one of the wells is outside of the school at 720 Washington Ave., but the other well is underneath the gymnasium. ‘They have to dig under the building in the gym area,’ Tucker said. ‘The only thing good is there are no walls. They have to cut the floor and dig.’ The top of the well inside the building is four-to-six-feet-deep, he said. ‘These gas wells have a pipe that comes up, and they capped it,’ Tucker said. ‘It was made of fire brick. Obviously, the fire brick worked because we didn’t have a problem for 60 or 70 years.’ Tucker sent a letter to the community about a site print found this week showing possible locations of two old gas wells. Workers will dig in the locations to find and properly cap the wells. ‘We are hopeful this will solve the issue and we can safely return to the school,’ according to Tucker’s letter. ‘All agencies will continue to monitor until the building is approved for our return.’ If no gas is detected for three days, then students may return to Admiral King, Tucker said. ‘We hope to have a definitive answer by the end of next week,’ he said. Until then, Admiral King’s 380 students and 35 staff members are at Washington, Morrison and Garfield elementary schools. ‘The students, parents and staff have been going above and beyond over the past month,’ the letter indicated. ‘Their dedication and patience is commendable.’ On Oct. 29, school personnel met to share ideas about a process of returning to the building when approved, long term solutions if the closure extends, needed resources, and student transportation. The situation is monitored by the Lorain Fire Department, with consultations with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Oil and Gas Resources, Columbia Gas of Ohio, Geo Searches (Geophysicist), Geologist, Sebesta & Associates (Environmental Health Engineers), and EA Group (Environmental Lab Testing).
