COLORADO SPRINGS — Inspection reports from the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) offer more insight into the structural issues and fire safety violations at Jenkins Middle School over the past few years.
You can read the reports for yourself below or by clicking here:
Nearly two years ago, Jenkins Middle School had a re-inspection done for an annual report in March 2023.
Documents obtained by News5 show there were fire safety violations, which the school later remedied.
About a year later, in April 2024, a follow-up inspection showed failures including ceiling tiles needing to be replaced, and doors not closing properly. The report also shows school leaders remedied those violations
The December 2024 inspection included fire safety issues as well as a "special note" which said "the building's foundation is problematic and there is evidence of this throughout the building."
Springs Fire later detailed the issues in a letter addressed to district officials.
The next day, fire investigators joined state investigators to take a look at the structural issues. A report dated December 20th, shows numerous structural concerns in the Jenkins Middle School building.
The report also said a District 11 employee had reported a fallen brick in the school's 8th grade wing more than 10 years ago, in 2013.
In January, investigators with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) and Division of Fire Prevention and Control did a walk-through and issued a "Notice of Unsafe Condition." State investigators told the district it needed to have the building evacuated by January 17th unless a structural analysis showed the building was safe.
As News5 has reported, Colorado Springs School District 11 announced this week the school will be closing as of Friday. Students at Jenkins Middle School will be moved to nearby schools: 6th graders to Russell Middle School, 7th and 8th graders to Doherty High School starting Thursday of next week. School will be closed for students at those schools Tuesday and Wednesday (Monday is a holiday) to accommodate the necessary moves.
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