An upcoming report will say that an elementary school destroyed by a tornado in Moore, Okla., last spring was poorly designed and could have protected children better if it had been properly reinforced.
Similar construction techniques were used at the Plaza Towers and Briarwood elementary schools, according to a civil engineer who worked on the study for the American Society of Civil Engineers and Structural Engineering Institute.
Seven children died when a storm packing winds in excess of 200 mph collapsed the Plaza Towers building last May. Two dozen students and teachers were injured at Briarwood.
The report, due out this spring, cites a number of flaws in Briarwood’s construction, the engineer, Chris Ramseyer, told The Journal Record of Oklahoma City.