School Chimney Discovery
Investigation Widens After Human Remains Discovered Inside Queens School Chimney
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The location is PS/IS 113 Anthony J. Pranzo School in Glendale, Queens, at the intersection of 87th Street and 78th Avenue.
2
The exterminator opened the ash dump in the chimney and discovered a shoe first, followed by the sensation of a foot inside the structure.
3
Contractors had been working on the school in the days leading up to the discovery, and investigators are trying to determine whether any workers may be involved or unaccounted for.
4
The body was removed by the NYPD Emergency Service Unit and the city Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death, with police still seeking to identify the deceased and establish how long the remains had been in the chimney.
A decomposing body was found wedged inside a chimney at a Queens public school on June 30, according to ABC News and NBC News. An exterminator arrived at PS/IS 113 Anthony J. Pranzo School in Glendale around 9 a.m., opened a small ash dump door at the base of the chimney, and discovered a shoe — then felt a human foot inside the structure.
The school, located at 87th Street and 78th Avenue, was closed for summer break. No students or staff were present. The NYPD Emergency Service Unit extracted the adult male's remains by around 1 p.m., CBS New York reported. The city Medical Examiner's Office will determine how the man died and who he is.
Janitor's Complaint Led to Grim Chimney Discovery
A school janitor first noticed a "putrid odor" in the lower levels of the building and called a pest control company, according to Gothamist. The exterminator from Magic Exterminating arrived and opened the chimney's ash dump — a small access door used to clear debris. He found a shoe first. Then he felt a foot. He immediately called police.
The NYPD 104th Precinct responded by 9:15 a.m. Over 15 police vehicles were on scene during the extraction, CBS New York reported. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting the man had been dead for several days — possibly since the final week of the school year or the start of summer construction work.
Construction Crews on Site Raise Key Questions
Contractors had been working inside the school in the days before the discovery. City permits show active work on electrical wiring and hot water heating systems, according to Gothamist. Investigators are now cross-checking personnel logs from every firm on site. They want to know if any worker went missing or was unaccounted for during the shift to summer break.
Local officials have called for an audit of the School Construction Authority, which oversees building upgrades at New York City's 1,800-plus public schools. The central question: how could someone access a chimney — which requires roof access — without being seen by contractors or security on an active job site?
A Haunting Echo: Same Chimney, Second Body in 15 Years
This is not the first time a body has been found in this exact chimney. In July 2011, the remains of 43-year-old Igor Zaitsev — an immigrant from Uzbekistan — were found in the same structure at PS 113, according to New York Post. Zaitsev was believed to have fallen in while trying to access the roof. That case renewed debate about the building's physical security.
The 2026 discovery has reignited those same concerns. Some law enforcement sources are leaning toward an accidental death — a trespasser who became wedged while trying to enter the building, New York Post reported. But investigators have not ruled out foul play. The Medical Examiner's findings, expected within 48 to 72 hours, will be critical.
School Serves Nearly 1,000 Kids — Parents Are Shaken
PS/IS 113 serves about 957 students in grades K through 8. One Glendale parent told FOX 5 NY: "It's a school, a place for children. To think someone was in there for days while the kids were finishing their year is horrifying." The NYC Department of Education confirmed the building was under construction but said "no students or staff were at risk" because of the summer closure.
The DOE said counseling will be available for janitorial staff and any employees present during the discovery. Police are still working to identify the deceased. The investigation now spans multiple agencies — the NYPD, the Medical Examiner's Office, the School Construction Authority, and the city Buildings Department — as authorities try to piece together how a man ended up dead inside a school chimney.
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