The De Soto Primary School, previously known as Athena Elementary, will be closed the rest of the week after a food vendor truck struck power lines, pulling down two utility poles just before 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, Sept. 16.
According to district officials, a food vendor was attempting to make a delivery at the school and struck the power lines, which caused significant electrical and physical damage to portions of the building. The incident resulted in a power outage at the Primary campus and the district’s nearby transportation facility.
Emergency personnel and Ameren were contacted immediately, and steps were quickly taken to secure the area. District officials commended school and transportation staff for their immediate and effective response to the incident, making sure students and staff remained safe.
“We could not have asked for a faster or more professional response from our staff and community partners,” Superintendent Ron Farrow said. “Their calm actions, teamwork and focus on safety helped us respond effectively to a situation that no school district ever expects to face. We are incredibly thankful that our students and staff remained safe.”
District officials dismissed students and closed all campuses early Wednesday, Sept. 16. De Soto Primary will be closed today, Sept. 17, and Friday, Sept. 18, with students participating through Alternative Methods of Instruction or AMI. The closure also includes the Early Childhood Center satellite classrooms located inside the Primary building. All other district campuses will continue operating on their regular schedules.
Ameren worked through the night to complete repairs on Ameren’s end of the system. District officials said during the closure, structural engineers, electricians, contractors and district personnel will assess the damage, complete necessary repairs and work to restore electrical service.
Students and staff will return to the Primary campus for in-person learning only after the district has confirmed that the building can be safely occupied, officials said.
“We hope to be able to safely restore power and bring students back in the building in some capacity by Monday,” Farrow said Wednesday night. “We will communicate out additional information as we receive it from those working on site over the next two days.”