Tartu school collapse adds millions to repair costs

The collapse of part of a building at Tartu’s Miina Härma Gymnasium will add several million euros to the school’s renovation bill, ERR reported. The city says the extra cost will not delay the renovation of other schools, but savings will be needed elsewhere.

Renovation of the school’s technical systems began in early summer. A section of a building block constructed in 1960 collapsed in early August.

Tartu Deputy Mayor Martin Bek said the city must now decide whether to strengthen the building’s foundations and restore the section as it was, or undertake a larger extension. The assessment has also been expanded to an adjacent section built in 1962, whose foundations will also need strengthening.

Options include building three storeys instead of two or adding a basement, Bek said. The city is awaiting an expert assessment and the school’s proposals before deciding how to proceed.

School principal Ene Tannberg said an extension would be necessary. She said the school needs more space because it currently operates in two shifts, has a cramped dining hall, lacks rooms for support specialists and does not have a lift.

The city had initially allocated six million euros for the renovation. The exact cuts required in next year’s budget have not yet been determined.

Bek said the savings would not come from the reconstruction of other schools. The city still plans to fully renovate Veeriku School during the same period, although he said something would probably have to be postponed after the proposals and costs are analysed.