PIKETON, Ohio — A building once deemed so hazardous that it had to be completely shut down is now up for auction, sparking outrage and concern in the community. Zahns Corner Middle School in Pike County, which was permanently closed in 2019 due to radioactive contamination, is set to be sold, and residents are questioning who approved this decision.
In 2019, the school was closed after radioactive isotopes of enriched uranium were discovered inside the building. Dr. Michael Ketterer, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Arizona University, published a comprehensive 155-page report detailing the contamination. Despite these findings, the United States Department of Energy publicly refuted the report, claiming the school was safe.
The closure came after the Scioto Valley Local School District’s Board of Education voted to quarantine the school when radioactive material was detected in an air monitor stationed at the site. Students were subsequently relocated to other buildings within the district. Superintendent Wes Hairston emphasized the priority of constructing a new middle school, stating, “Any level of contamination on or near a school increases health risks and is unacceptable. Our students and staff deserve a safe place to learn.”
The school, located near the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a site with a long history of uranium enrichment and contamination, is viewed by many as a dangerous relic. Over the decades, radioactive material from this plant has led to Pike County having some of the highest cancer rates in Ohio. Several former students of Zahns Corner Middle School have also been diagnosed with cancer.
Congress approved funding for a new school last year, but the decision to auction the old building has not been well-received. Brewster Real Estate & Auction Co. LLC. announced the auction on Wednesday, listing the property and its contents with a minimum bid of $275,000. The auction listing fails to mention the school’s radioactive history, stating instead that the building offers “unlimited potential.”
Local activists are condemning this move. Gina Doyle, founder of the group Don’t Dump On Us, called the auction ludicrous and a cruel joke to the community. She and others argue that potential buyers are not being adequately informed about the property’s hazardous past.
The auction listing indicates that the building is being sold “as-is,” with no official decontamination having taken place. The community, already suffering the long-term effects of living near the largest uranium enrichment facility in the United States, views this sale as a blatant disregard for their safety and well-being.
The Scioto Valley Local School Board, which initially voted to close the school, has now approved its auction. The decision has left many in Pike County feeling betrayed and concerned about the future use of the contaminated site.
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