Fort Lewis Elementary cafeteria won’t reopen in time for students return

6:20 p.m.

  The school system is still not allowing employees in the building.

  The county’s building commissioner expects a crane will have to be brought in early next week in order to literally hold a portion of the roof in place while workers make some of the repairs.

  The crane is needed because the roof’s weight could compromise some of the cafeteria’s interior walls.

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11:53 a.m.

  It’s becoming clear Fort Lewis Elementary School’s cafeteria will not be ready to reopen after students return from Christmas break on January 4th.

  Due to last week’s record snowfall for December, a portion of the cafeteria’s roof collapsed.
 
  The cafeteria was an addition to the school, built in 1996.

  The county’s building commissioner believes melting snow from the school’s old building released and landed on top of snow drift which had formed between the old building and cafeteria.

  The cafeteria’s roof then collapsed under the snow’s weight.

  The building commissioner said everything appeared to be up to code.  A county engineer is checking the entire building to make sure it’s safe.  The engineer’s initial report is expected to be completed today.

  The building commissioner expects he’ll allow workers inside the cafeteria to begin repairs this afternoon.

  The commissioner said he will ask the school system to redesign the cafeteria roof before permitting occupancy.

  Roanoke County school administrators are still coming up with a plan to feed students although the cafeteria will be closed for quite some time, according to the system’s spokesman.

  The commissioner said the school system will also have to find a way to add another emergency exit around the repairs,  but the commissioner didn’t think that would be a problem.

  You can see much more about this story tonight on WSLS 10 On Your Side beginning at 5 p.m.