Foul odor at NYC school leads police to body hidden in chimney
Human Remains Discovered in Queens School Chimney
A grim discovery was made on Tuesday morning at P.S./I.S. 113 Anthony J. Pranzo in Queens, New York, when police found human remains in a chimney while investigating a foul odor. The elementary‑middle school had closed for summer vacation the previous Friday and was undergoing construction, so no students or staff were inside when the remains were uncovered.
Police were called to the building before 9 a.m. and immediately began a search for the missing person. City officials say the remains were removed by the medical examiner’s office, which will determine both the identity of the deceased and the cause of death. It remains unknown how long the remains had been in the chimney or how they got there.
“The discovery of the corpse is deeply upsetting and concerning,” the City Department of Education said in a statement. “We are working closely with law enforcement and the medical examiner’s office to find out more about this tragic situation.”
Investigators are also looking into the construction crew that had been working at the school in the days before the discovery. Building permits indicate that contractors were performing wiring, hot‑water heating and other work on the property. Police are now trying to confirm that all workers have been accounted for and have no connection to the remains.
The school, located in a Queens neighborhood, had been shut for summer and for renovations when the body was found. No one was present in the building at the time, and the discovery came as a shock to the local community, which had not seen any suspicious activity in the area.
The case is currently under investigation by the New York Police Department in cooperation with the medical examiner’s office. The city is also working to identify the deceased and to determine whether the remains were the result of foul play or an accidental incident.
The findings have prompted a review of safety and security protocols at other school facilities in the borough. Police and school officials have urged anyone with information to come forward.
As the investigation continues, residents can expect updates from the city’s Department of Education and the New York Police Department. The circumstances surrounding the remains remain unclear, but authorities are treating the matter with the utmost seriousness.
