Investigation launched after asbestos risk closes school

Bayfield School, Herne Bay. Photo / Jason Dorday.

Investigations are underway after an Auckland primary school was forced to close its doors for more than a week because of potential asbestos contamination.

Staff and 378 children will return to Bayfield School in Herne Bay tomorrow, after tests showed the possibility that asbestos dust had drifted outside a contained worksite on the school grounds last Tuesday.

The students were sent to nearby Ponsonby Primary School and Ponsonby Intermediate while the demolition work was completed, the school's principal Sheryl Fletcher said.

Two investigations had been launched by the Ministry of Education to confirm what went wrong, she said.

The results would be released to the Board of Trustees and the community.

Ms Fletcher would not be drawn on what the inquiries' conclusions would be.

The parents were upset, "and obviously we are too", she said.

"We took it seriously and put a lot of safety measures in place."

The school had been told yesterday they had been given the all clear, which allowed today to ensure all surfaces were washed down and clean, Ms Fletcher said.

"It will be nice to have the children back tomorrow."

The school was demolishing classrooms on site due to leaky building problems, and the school swimming pool was also being removed.

Bayfield Board of Trustees' chairman David McPherson last week said that once the school was reopened, building work would not go ahead until the board could verify it would be undertaken safely.

An asbestos-contaminated building was demolished during the school holidays, however the demolished material was not removed from the school site until May 9.

There was concern that during that time asbestos dust could have travelled from the work site to the rest of the school grounds.