FLORISSANT, Mo. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the community around Jana Elementary School deserved a second opinion after a report showed high levels of contamination from radioactive waste from Coldwater Creek, which is near the school.
The Corps of Engineers began its testing Monday as students transitioned to virtual learning.
Jessica Ferguson’s daughter, Kamii Smith, was in fifth grade at Jana Elementary up until last week. The family decided to move.
“That was just like the last straw, yeah. Like, I can’t be over here anymore,” she said. “Like, I don’t even think that they should’ve built houses over here.”
An independent report from the Boston Chemical Data Corporation found high levels of radioactive contamination throughout the school and outside the school, including the playground.
The Corps of Engineers is taking samples to see if they get similar or comparable results.
FOX 2 obtained exclusive video on Friday outside Jana, showing crews loading up desks, tables, and other furniture from here.
Our crew followed several of the trucks and found furniture being moved to Barrington, McCurdy, and Brown elementary schools in the Hazelwood School District.
The Hazelwood School District told FOX 2 after consulting with an engineer that’s been working with the district, and a hazardous material cleanup company, that some furniture has been removed after following suggested cleaning protocols.
“I feel like it shouldn’t have happened, but I do really want to go to school again,” Kamii Smith said.
Preliminary results are expected within two weeks.