Ohio school closed over sale of radioactive material ‘as is’

PIKETON, Ohio (WDTN) — A vacant school in southern Ohio has caught the attention of people across the U.S. as the building is set to be auctioned off.

Zahn’s Corner Middle School in Piketon is up for auction on Saturday, August 17. The listing shows the 53,000-square-foot building, on approximately 9.83 acres, selling for at least $270,000.

In May 2019, the Scioto Valley Local School District reported that enriched uranium was found inside the building and neptunium-237 was found outside the building, leading to the closure of the school.

According to a statement from the Scioto Valley Local School District, the U.S. Department of Energy believed the presence of “radioactive material” was due to “stratospheric fallout” from nuclear testing in the 1950s and 1960s. A conflicting opinion held that it came from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, nearly five miles away.

A spokesperson for the Pike County General Health District confirmed to Nexstar’s WDTN that an independent resampling study of the interior of the building was conducted in late February and early March to identify “any contaminants of concern.” Test results are currently being finalized.