The Anchorage School District has shut down five libraries in elementary schools in order to examine the possibility of dangerous snow accumulation over schools.
In an email that was sent to parents on Monday night the district informed parents that two libraries at Anchorage elementary schools Klatt and Spring Hill Klatt as well as Spring Hill — were closed following the maintenance department found ceiling damaged.
The district also opted “out out of sheer precaution” to shut down the libraries at Bear Valley Elementary, Fire Lake Elementary along with Ravenwood Elementary, which share the same design for their building along with Klatt as well as Spring Hill.
“There is no danger of a catastrophic collapse,” the email said. “There is a chance of ceiling pieces falling. There is no evidence that the ceilings of these buildings are damaged, except for those libraries.”
Anchorage The Fire Department’s Assistant Chief Alex Boyd said that three buildings and a carport collapsed in Anchorage during the last month. One person was killed in the South Anchorage CrossFit gymroof collapse on February. 17, and two buildings experienced partial collapses over the weekend however, no major accidents have occurred due to the structural issues.
Prior to the roof’s fatal failure in Anchorage The Palmer Public Library suffered an incomplete roof collapseon February. 15. It is looking at alternatives to host library events and keep books in in the words of Palmer the city’s manager John Moosey.
Engineers examined the load of snow in the ceilings of Anchorage schools following the first significant snowfall in December. They started a second assessment in recent days. The district is advising that all five library buildings will be closed until engineers finish an assessment of the ceilings.
