Roofing Tar Fumes Send Starline Elementary School Students Home

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ROOFING TAR FUMES SEND SEVERAL STARLINE STUDENTS HOME

by MARTY SHEVELOVE

Several students and staff members at Starline Elementary School are

claiming that smells and odors from tar being used in the construction of

the school's new roof are making them ill.

Starline principal Ken Danley reported that six students left school Tuesday

complaining of headaches and another two left school Wednesday. All six who

left Tuesday returned to class Wednesday.

Three students from fifth grade teacher Sue 's class were in the school

nurse's office Wednesday afternoon and 13 of 24 students in her classroom

raised their hands when asked if they smelled anything out of the ordinary.

Danley has closed the school's primary wing and relocated students from the

wing's first and second grade classrooms to other locations in the building

Danley said that some of the odors became more noticeable in the building as

winds picked up and shifted around noon Wednesday. An air handler, part of

the school's air conditioning system, located in room 146, was closed at

that time and helped keep some of the fumes at bay.

Eight teachers, including music teacher Jani , who contacted Lake

Havasu Unified School District superintendent Dr. Joe Meli and informed him

of the problem Wednesday morning, have signed a statement saying they object

to the smells and odors present in parts of the school.

moved her class out of the school's music room Wednesday and is

conducting her class on the school's stage.

Danley contacted the state poison control center Wednesday morning, and was

told that while tar fumes may be an irritant, they are not considered to be

toxic. He telephoned the parents of students who went home to advise them

what the poison control center had said.

Danley had a meeting scheduled with representatives from Cook Roofing of

Tucson, the firm doing the work on the $240,000 project, maintenance

supervisor of the school district, Bert Berschauer, a school facilities

board inspector and an inspector from the roofing materials manufacturer

Wednesday afternoon to see if work on the could begin after the school day

and continue into the evening.

" If we can't get a resolution on this we'll see if there's a possibility of

working at night, " Danley said. " The foreman is not crazy about doing

construction at night, but we could use lights. "

Repairs to the roof may take as long as two-to-three months. Starline was

closed for several days last spring due to mold that was found to be caused

by the school's leaky roof.

The new roof comes with a 20-year warranty and will be sloped to allow water

to properly drain. Tar began being laid Tuesday after a portion of the old

roof was torn out and the wood below was inspected. A layer of tar is laid

below approximately six inches of styrofoam. A particle board is then laid

over the tar and tar is laid underneath a superflex base sheet. A cap sheet

placed on top of the base sheet finishes the job.

said Danley urged her to be " a trooper " when she complained about

the odor. " I said being a trooper didn't cut it. Then I called the paper

(Today's News-Herald) this morning (Wednesday). "

, in her second year as Starline's music teacher, said 10 students

out of her first two classes Wednesday went to the nurse said coming up to

her saying that they were sick. " After the nurse told Mr. Danley, he said he

would move the class to the stage. I don't mind the inconvenience, I just

don't want to get sick, " said.

" The smell was affecting me. I was getting nauseous, " said. " The

odor of gasoline from the engine that heats the tar was so strong Tuesday

that it made me sick. I had a headache all evening, " she said.

" It's unfortunate that Mr. Danley is taking this so personally. He has been

very good to all of us, but I did go over his head (to Dr. Meli). "

, who is retiring in June, said she is one of eight teachers who has

signed a statement. " I want to stress that this is nothing personal against

Mr. Danley. It's not in my character to do something like this, but kids are

being affected. Mr. Danley is in a tough spot and the (roofing) job has to

be done. "