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Roof Of Annex At Benito Juarez High School Ripped Off During Storm

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Strong winds ripped off a huge section of the roof of the annex at Benito Juarez Community Academy in the Pilsen neighborhood overnight.

Crews were assessing damage at the school at 1450 W. Cermak Rd. Tuesday morning, after a massive section of roofing material on the 7-year-old school annex blew off during thunderstorms overnight, leaving it draped over the side of the building.

Other roofing material crashed to the ground.

Chicago Public Schools spokesman Michael Passman confirmed the roof was damaged during Monday night's thunderstorms.

"Last night's storm caused damage to the elevated walkway connecting the two buildings at Juarez High School. The walkway is being assessed, and the school has temporarily relocated affected classrooms to ensure instruction is not interrupted."

The annex, known as "The Bridge," is a long single-story section connecting two buildings, situated one story above the ground.

About a dozen classrooms had to be closed due to the damage, but no injuries were reported.

One teacher said there have been several problems with the construction of the annex, built in 2010, including pieces of metal falling off and leaks in the roof.

Benito Juarez Roof
A large section of the roofing material on the annex at Benito Juarez Community Academy was ripped off by strong winds during a storm on March 6, 2017. (Credit: Mike Krauser/WBBM)
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