WESTFIELD — A child sustained minor injuries on Thursday afternoon when a piece of HVAC machinery fell through the roof of the Westfield Day Care Center.
“The injuries are non-life-threatening,” Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said, speaking to The Westfield Leader at the scene.
Approximately 50 children and the staff of the day-care center, which is located in an annex of the Redeemer Lutheran Church, were evacuated to Roosevelt Intermediate School after the incident.
“The school will remain closed for the remainder of the day in order to allow the town’s construction official to inspect the damage to the building,” Chief Battiloro said, adding that the incident was “not as serious” as initial reports led many to believe.
“When the machinery came down through the roof, part of it broke down into a second-story classroom,” the chief explained. “The child that was injured was hit by a falling ceiling tile. It is unfortunate that someone was injured, but everyone is now safe and out of the building.”
The Westfield Police Department, Westfield Fire Department and Westfield Rescue Squad all reported to the scene.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.