Central Pennsylvania elementary to remain closed for another year due to 2023 fuel leak

HUNTINGDON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) – Southern Huntingdon County School Board members voted 8-0 to keep Spring Farms Elementary closed for an additional school year. 

In January of 2023, the school was shut down after a leak of 7,600 gallons of heating fuel. In 2023 all students were relocated to the high school and middle school. Former Superintendent Dwyane Northcraft said, “The Department of Environmental Protection’s investigation is staying open to determine exactly where the oil ended up, but so far it has shown no signs of water contamination.”

The wait to get back into the building continues. With the school board vote students won’t be back into the building until at least 2026. Current Superintendent Hillary Lambert says the process with the schools’ engineering consultants and insurance companies can take up to 8 months. 

“Basically to reopen that school, it would be recommended to install soil vapor testing and also a water treatment system,” Lambert said. “So because of that process and the school board and the administration not wanting to put our kids at risk without that treatment system in that building, the school board voted to keep that building closed for another school year.” 

With nearly 200 extra kids at the high school and no timetable on when and if they can return to the building, WTAJ asked if there is any consideration of closing the building for good. 

“As of now, no. We’re waiting on guidance from DEP, so it’s been a year-to-year process since that oil leak happened. But once we receive the final information from DEP, then we feel like our board will be able to make the best decision to serve our students in our community,” Lambert said. 

With the school being closed for an extended period of time, if and when the building is occupied again upgrades could be needed. Currently, the building is used for storage. 

“We do know there will be things that need upgraded if we do decide to move back in. But that conversation will happen at a later date when we have more exact figures. If we knew we were going back there,” Lambert said. 

Superintendent Lambert added that students and the community have had positive messages with the move, the high school has even added items like a playground to the grounds for elementary students.

The school is hoping to have more answers from DEP this summer so they can continue moving along with the process.