Last week a carbon monoxide leak caused dozens of kids and the nurse at Friendship Elementary in Southern York to become sick.
But something occurred after that incident, that caused one of the contractors at the school to lose his job and he's telling CBS 21 that the monoxide leak could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Kevin Strickland used to work for Lobar Inc, Lobar was handling all of the electrical work at Friendship Elementary. The day after the carbon monoxide leak, Strickland tells us that a door leading into the school had been locked shut.
Kevin says that door being locked shut slowed down he and his co-workers, and he’s quick to point out, he thought it was a violation of the fire safety code.
Strickland told us he believes that door being locked may have been to prevent the employees from seeing other problems at the school.
We questioned Southern York School officials about the door. They said, in a temporary measure, areas were partitioned off to separate students from the construction and that local inspectors simply wouldn’t allow a building to be occupied if it violated any codes.
“I told superintendents of the school, I was told to mind my own business and go to work,” explained Strickland.
Problem is, by talking to the administrators and not his own supervisor, Kevin overstepped his boundaries. He was relieved of his duties for the day and then later terminated by his employer, Lobar Inc.
“Cut dry, goodbye!” Strickland echoed.
We drove to Lobar in Dillsburg, they told us this is an unfortunate situation, but the company does not comment on personnel issues.
So why does this man, a now unemployed electrician, care so much about a school he lives more than 40 miles away from?
A father of three, Kevin says he cares about his work and the kids at Friendship's safety. Iin his mind, there are still potential problems at the school, issues that he feels the district isn't taking seriously.
“Exit signs were not lit, if there was a fire, the sprinkler system would not engage, my biggest problem was the kitchen,” Strickland told us. “If there was a grease fire, the system was not set up to extinguish a fire.”
Again, administrators are reassuring parents that Friendship Elementary is safe. The construction process has been completely approved by inspectors and all building codes are being enforced.
But this one-man crusade isn't going quietly.
Strickland says he harbors no bad feelings towards his former employer at this time. In hindsight he admits he was wrong for not approaching his supervisor with the issues first.
School officials would not comment directly on Kevin’s situation, saying it’s between he and his employer, Lobar.
But something occurred after that incident, that caused one of the contractors at the school to lose his job and he's telling CBS 21 that the monoxide leak could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Kevin Strickland used to work for Lobar Inc, Lobar was handling all of the electrical work at Friendship Elementary. The day after the carbon monoxide leak, Strickland tells us that a door leading into the school had been locked shut.
Kevin says that door being locked shut slowed down he and his co-workers, and he’s quick to point out, he thought it was a violation of the fire safety code.
Strickland told us he believes that door being locked may have been to prevent the employees from seeing other problems at the school.
We questioned Southern York School officials about the door. They said, in a temporary measure, areas were partitioned off to separate students from the construction and that local inspectors simply wouldn’t allow a building to be occupied if it violated any codes.
“I told superintendents of the school, I was told to mind my own business and go to work,” explained Strickland.
Problem is, by talking to the administrators and not his own supervisor, Kevin overstepped his boundaries. He was relieved of his duties for the day and then later terminated by his employer, Lobar Inc.
“Cut dry, goodbye!” Strickland echoed.
We drove to Lobar in Dillsburg, they told us this is an unfortunate situation, but the company does not comment on personnel issues.
So why does this man, a now unemployed electrician, care so much about a school he lives more than 40 miles away from?
A father of three, Kevin says he cares about his work and the kids at Friendship's safety. Iin his mind, there are still potential problems at the school, issues that he feels the district isn't taking seriously.
“Exit signs were not lit, if there was a fire, the sprinkler system would not engage, my biggest problem was the kitchen,” Strickland told us. “If there was a grease fire, the system was not set up to extinguish a fire.”
Again, administrators are reassuring parents that Friendship Elementary is safe. The construction process has been completely approved by inspectors and all building codes are being enforced.
But this one-man crusade isn't going quietly.
Strickland says he harbors no bad feelings towards his former employer at this time. In hindsight he admits he was wrong for not approaching his supervisor with the issues first.
School officials would not comment directly on Kevin’s situation, saying it’s between he and his employer, Lobar.