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Storm Damage Cancels School For Hempfield Students

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- The Hempfield Area School District is closed today as a result of the severe weather that ripped through the area on Wednesday afternoon.

The roof at the high school was partially ripped off at the height of the storm while roof damage is also being reported at West Hempfield Elementary School.

"West Hempfield Elementary, again, the damage there is partial roof being torn off," said Dan Stevens, the director of public safety in Westmoreland County. "We don't know the extent of the damage because that was in another section of the county that I didn't get to last night. We'll be assessing that this morning."

Over at the high school, the damage was done in the auditorium area where students were practicing for a school play.

Before the school can reopen, officials say the safety of the students will have to be taken into account.

"They're probably going to have to section off parts of the school that will not be accessible to the student population. One of those areas is going to be the auditorium because that's where the roof had been ripped partially off," said Stevens. "That's a determination the school district's going to have to make with the help of engineers, structural engineers to determine what's safe and what isn't safe."

Despite all the damage, authorities say no injuries were reported.

RELATED LINKS:
Hempfield Area School District
Westmoreland County Emergency Management

RELATED STORIES:
Winds Rip Roof At Hempfield High School
Officials: About 90 Homes Affected By Tornado
More Hempfield Township News

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