Staff members at the central office of Corbin Independent Schools walked into the building on Roy Kidd Ave Monday to find pieces of history lying in the floor.
Superintendent Ed McNeel said the plaster ceiling, which was installed when the former post office was built in the 1930s, fell Saturday. Mark Daniels, director of support services, was in the building Saturday when he noticed the debris that covered the floor of the break room at the rear of the building on the main floor.
"We had noticed a small leak in one corner," McNeel said, noting the plaster ceiling has been obscured by a drop ceiling that was installed to make the building more energy efficient. "We are just extremely thankful that no one was hurt."
The staff that works on the main floor was sent home for the day while custodians worked to clean up the debris that included chunks of plaster and dust. Staff members working in the basement remained on the job.
Construction advisors for the school system were scheduled to inspect the damage Monday afternoon and give a recommendation on the best way to repair.
The school system has occupied the building since 1960. McNeel emphasized that while the walls and original ceiling are plaster, tests conducted before the incident showed that it did not contain asbestos.
