ORANGE : Office for Schools Is a Hazard in Quake

The Orange Unified School District this week is expected to release a study showing that the district’s administration building is likely to collapse during a major earthquake, a district official said.

“Under normal, daily activity, the building is probably OK,” said John Perry, assistant superintendent for business services. “The danger would come in with an earthquake of high-magnitude proportions.”

District officials have long suspected that the office building at 370 N. Glassell St. in Orange might not withstand a large temblor, Perry said, noting that previous quakes have left cracks in the walls.

Perry noted that the district is aware of structural problems and, in accordance with the state law, has posted signs throughout the unreinforced-masonry building that warn workers and visitors of the hazard.

The engineer’s study will have the information the school board needs to determine whether the building is safe from a liability standpoint. The report is expected to conclude that moving to a new building would be cheaper than reinforcing the existing one.