June 30, 2026
BREAKING: Exterminator Finds Dead Body In NYC School Chimney
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RSS Feed Just four days after the last day of classes, an exterminator investigating a “foul odor” found the shocking source of the smell inside a New York City school’s chimney: a decomposing body. Investigators are now trying to determine if any construction workers in the area are missing, as the school was under renovations. Police are also looking into whether foul play may be involved. While there were no students or teachers inside the building at the time of the macabre discovery, several students have told reporters they’d been complaining of a bad smell for weeks leading up to the last day of school.
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00:00:10
Speaker 1: Hey, the folks. It is Tuesday, June thirtieth, and students here in New York City got out of school last Friday. Today a body was found rotting in one of those schools, and according to the students, that body might have been there for quite some time. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Roase. Is a really bizarre and disturbing story, certainly of to parents of kids who've gone through at some point the New York City school system. For any parent anywhere, this is creepy.
00:00:45
Speaker 2: This is like right out of a horror movie.
00:00:47
Speaker 3: Yeah, can you imagine what parents and students are feeling now that this macabre discovery was made this morning. So there is some construction going on. This is an elementary middle school. It houses kids from pre K to eighth grade, seven hundred and fifty students in Queens here in New York City.
00:01:07
Speaker 2: And yes, kids got out on Friday.
00:01:09
Speaker 3: The school is under some repairs and some remodeling and some construction, and so they're thankfully were no students or teachers in the building today, but someone smelled a foul odor, so they called an exterminator. That's a pretty they're thinking Okay, some animal got into the chimney and needs to be removed. So the exterminator comes to the school and finds something he was not expecting. And so he described this as finding a shoe initially and thinking what's a shoe doing in the chimney, looks up and then he feels and finds a foot, and that was the moment that you might imagine he called police nine one one to be specific.
00:01:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, and this is this is a school, was it? This is the largest so k through eight right, kids that go to this school.
00:02:03
Speaker 3: It is Robes.
00:02:04
Speaker 1: The first thing I thought when I heard it, it was just disturbing to think the possibility that there was a dead body in this school while kids were going to school for one day, one week, two weeks. We don't know, but from what we are hearing at least rodes right now, this body was in a pretty significant state of decomposition. Now, I know it doesn't necessarily have to take that long, but still it takes a minute.
00:02:29
Speaker 3: It does and several students. Can you imagine, like there were helicopters over this school, police in protective gear, there were police officers. I mean, there was a huge scene with crime scene tape up all around this school, so in one who was in the neighborhood, that's their school. This is PS one thirteen, and so yes, parents and students started heading towards the area where all this activity was taking place, wanting to know what was going on, as did local media. So a lot of the members of the media were interviewing some of these students parents, and we actually have their names. A twelve year old told reporters that he had been smelling a rancid smell in the air for weeks. He described the smell as garbage water, and his quote was it was like smelling something funky.
00:03:17
Speaker 2: I was going to throw up or something.
00:03:20
Speaker 3: Another fifteen year old girl said she and her classmates noticed it at recess a few weeks ago and said it was really bad. Everyone was covering their noses. So that is to me one of the more disturbing parts of this story, where you've had students apparently discussing how disgusting it was smelling around their school.
00:03:43
Speaker 1: That is the most disturbing part because that would suggest that somehow it was missed that these students were going to school every day when they was a deceased person just stuck in a chimney. Now that could go to We don't know how this person died, if they were placed there, if there was some kind of an accident, God forbid. I also don't know why is this person not being looked for. If somebody's missing four weeks, have a question about that. But to think something like this is overlooked in a school, there are some answers we're gonna need.
00:04:21
Speaker 3: Yes, you have a daughter in the public school system here in New York City. I certainly did as well until my.
00:04:28
Speaker 2: Kids grew up. But yeah, you've got old buildings. These are big buildings. They do need repair.
00:04:36
Speaker 3: There are construction projects that go on a lot of these schools. But to think that while this is all happening, someone could just go missing.
00:04:44
Speaker 2: No one knows, no one realizes it.
00:04:47
Speaker 3: And look, police obviously have to consider beyond it just being an accident, which it clearly could have been, that there could have been foul play involved as well. Maybe someone needed a place to stash a body. We don't know thing right now, and that's deeply concerning. Just imagining students, teachers, workers all breathing that air, walking around and the entire time at least, it seems for at least the last.
00:05:13
Speaker 2: Couple of weeks, there was a body of an adult male. That's all we have to go on right now in that chimney.
00:05:21
Speaker 1: And I don't but at this point of course, we don't know layout of the school. But I'm wondering in just how close of proximity were students walking to this body? Was it way off somewhere in the older I mean, a decomposing body. You can do nothing with that smell. You know it when you smell it, it's unmistakable. So I wonder how close were they to it and passing by it? Were they nearby it as they're sitting in classes? Are they walking by? And they said a chimney, right.
00:05:48
Speaker 3: Yes, And I've seen the pictures because they have photographs of some of the police and the investigators up on the roof and you can actually see where the opening to the chimney is. It's a pretty big opening. Certainly a full body could get in there, So we don't know. And look, the kids even talked about how they would climb up the scaffolding because there was scaffolding on the outside of this school because of the construction that's going on. Obviously here in New York City, if you've ever visited, you understand they're scaffolding everywhere. And so some of the kids were saying when they would play ball in the enduring recess, sometimes they.
00:06:24
Speaker 2: Would fly up.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: People would they kids would climb up the scaffolding and get up on the roof where that construction or excuse me, where that chimney is. So that was disturbing to me to think, Wow, where are the teachers, How are kids climbing scaffolding getting balls that go up on the roof.
00:06:42
Speaker 2: So, look, the good news is.
00:06:43
Speaker 3: At least in terms of obviously there was a missing child that would have been a huge piece of this puzzle. And everyone said, this was not the body of a child. This was absolutely an adult male. They know that much. So just to hear the kids talk about how though they have scaled some of these this scaffolding to access the roof to get balls that fly up there. So the point being is, yes, it could be a construction worker, but yes, it seems like because of the scaffolding where it is on the outside of this building, kind of anybody could have been up on that roof and who knows why somebody could have fallen into the chimney purposely been putting a body in that chimney. But it seems as though this roof was accessible to folks because of the construction, because of the scaffolding.
00:07:29
Speaker 1: It makes no so I guess the more likely scenario would be that this was construction and there happened to be a worker up there. But we're talking weeks. Who there was a worker missing sem up there with what purpose? You would have no purpose as an individual to go down into the chimney.
00:07:49
Speaker 2: You just would not.
00:07:50
Speaker 1: And if you quite frankly road looking at it, if you're going to dump a body, that's a very difficult place to haul a body.
00:07:56
Speaker 2: That is true to dump it.
00:07:58
Speaker 1: That is very true guest scenario. But man, how how could you miss a worker? How could nobody be looking for somebody for weeks?
00:08:09
Speaker 2: I don't get That is what is one of the most puzzling parts of this.
00:08:13
Speaker 3: That's one of the quotes from one of the parents who just said, I don't understand if a construction worker went missing and accidentally fell, where where are his bosses, where are his family?
00:08:26
Speaker 2: Where are his friends? How they don't know? And right now police said that's what we're doing right now.
00:08:30
Speaker 3: We're checking to see whether or not any construction workers were reported missing. But to me, that also doesn't make sense because if you have a construction project going on at this school, a construction worker is reported missing, clearly that would have been the first place you would have checked. There have to be records of somebody who was either working on the chimney or working on the building that would have required him to be near the chimney or at least on the roof. We know that they're in terms of the construction that was ongoing. They described it as they were working on the heating, they were working on some of the plumbing, so look, it makes sense that maybe there would be some sort of roof access necessary. They say they were permits for wiring, hot water, heating and other works. So there were permits and there were construction workers, But again, aren't there records about who's coming and going.
00:09:24
Speaker 1: That's the other security concern. You're telling me there were somebody who was on the campus with all the kids and that wasn't accounted for. Ultimately, that's a safety and security issue as well. I just this is really really a bizarre story. It got more bizarre, really broll when I heard, Okay, maybe it was over the weekend, somebody was working, weren't as many out there. That made sense. But when the kids start reporting weeks ago.
00:09:50
Speaker 3: Saying they were holding their noses while they were at recess because the smell was so bad, that is shocking. And look when you see if you want to check this out and go online, you'll see the photos everybody who was in that building who was now investigating this police, they all have like gas masks on, full protective ear.
00:10:14
Speaker 2: That's how bad the smell was.
00:10:15
Speaker 3: Apparently, you can see this was something that was so obvious that even the police when responding to it today had to wear masks. And look, they say they don't know how long the body was there, and they're trying to determine the cause of death. Right now, the body is currently at the Medical Examiner's office here in New York City and they're doing an autopsy and they're trying to identify who this is. That'll be a huge part of figuring out what happened, how it happened, how long ago it happened, and who it happened too. There are so many questions at this point in time, and so that is what police are doing right now. When we come back, we're going to tell you what the Department of Education had to say, because they had a statement around this, and will also tell you with the school custodian who was a part of that original team who first found the body, what he had to say upon making this discovery. And welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. We are talking about a shocking and developing story here in New York City. A badly decomposing body was found in the chimney of a I guess it's an elementary middle school here in Queen's PS one thirteen, the Anthony Pranzo School.
00:11:39
Speaker 2: It's in Glendale, Queens and.
00:11:42
Speaker 3: Up until Friday it was packed full of seven hundred and fifty kids in pre K through eighth grade with teachers and staff and so yes, the last day of school was Friday, but it appears according to kids and people who have been in the building talked about this foul odor that was fairly prominent at least when you were outside in the recess area for the past several weeks. And so the Department of Education had this to say, this discovery is deeply upsetting and concerning, and we are making sure the rights supports are in place for the entire school community while the NYPD investigates.
00:12:20
Speaker 2: That's kind of an understatement, man.
00:12:22
Speaker 1: I guess you know what. Rome was kind of a blessing schools out. I'm glad the kids and that didn't have to deal with that trauma. I mean even next year. Well, that's that's disturbing. That's creepy to go to school in that place. And we'll get more details and maybe it just again maybe road there's nothing more sinister to it than it's just it was an awful accident guy who was working their construction. I just wonder why is no one looking for.
00:12:49
Speaker 3: This guy that that is a huge part of this puzzle. And look, some of the parents were just saying too, just to explain this to the kids. For the kids even to go back to school next year, this is a hard thing. These are young kids who go to this school and obviously this story is everywhere now making headlines. And to think this was that this happened in your school, that your kids were going to this school while the body was there and some of them, yes, even smelling the decomposition of this body.
00:13:17
Speaker 2: That's tough to have those conversations.
00:13:20
Speaker 3: I wouldn't even know where to begin when you're talking to your kids about what folks are saying. I mean, this is obviously going to be the talk of the school for some time.
00:13:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, but again they have time to frankly, figure it out and clean it out before school starts back up again. They got a little time. But again, it's remarkable that this we're just a couple of days removed, two days really, two school days removed from the last day of school, and this happens.
00:13:45
Speaker 3: Yeah, And just to give an idea of just how disturbing this discovery was the exterminator who was called in to investigate this foul odor. He is the one who first found the body. He was so upset. The school custodian said he was right behind him, and he said it was definitely an older gentleman. And he talked about he had like size nine shoes, because they found the shoes. But he said the pest control guy who found at first, I was the second guy.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: He was here, but he had to go home. It was just too much for him.
00:14:17
Speaker 3: And he was talking about how this exterminator was so upset he had to leave.
00:14:21
Speaker 2: He could not stay there.
00:14:22
Speaker 3: And so there's a photograph I just thought it was so telling of the school custodian sitting on the ground. His head was kind of in his hands, he had a mask on, and he was shaken. He said, I am so shaken by seeing what I saw, smelling what I smelled. This this is not something people expect to encounter when they're on the job, either as a pest exterminator or a school custodian. This is just one of those shocking moments that it takes its toll on the folks who are around this. I mean, yes, police officers and medical examiners are perhaps trained to handle, but this is nothing that anyone was expecting to find. And I just can't imagine what the aftermath will be like for so many people who are on the scene there today.
00:15:08
Speaker 1: Well, folks, this is one This is a mystery that we will absolutely be following up on. Just very curious. And again, it could just be an accident in a tragedy, but my goodness, who why is no one looking for this man? Is a question that's a part of the mystery right now, So folks would appreciate you. Just want to hop on and give you that update. This is just happening and developing here in New York, but we always appreciate you just spending time with us on tj on behalf of my dear Mey Robot. We'll talk to y'all soon
Speaker 1: Hey, the folks. It is Tuesday, June thirtieth, and students here in New York City got out of school last Friday. Today a body was found rotting in one of those schools, and according to the students, that body might have been there for quite some time. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Roase. Is a really bizarre and disturbing story, certainly of to parents of kids who've gone through at some point the New York City school system. For any parent anywhere, this is creepy.
00:00:45
Speaker 2: This is like right out of a horror movie.
00:00:47
Speaker 3: Yeah, can you imagine what parents and students are feeling now that this macabre discovery was made this morning. So there is some construction going on. This is an elementary middle school. It houses kids from pre K to eighth grade, seven hundred and fifty students in Queens here in New York City.
00:01:07
Speaker 2: And yes, kids got out on Friday.
00:01:09
Speaker 3: The school is under some repairs and some remodeling and some construction, and so they're thankfully were no students or teachers in the building today, but someone smelled a foul odor, so they called an exterminator. That's a pretty they're thinking Okay, some animal got into the chimney and needs to be removed. So the exterminator comes to the school and finds something he was not expecting. And so he described this as finding a shoe initially and thinking what's a shoe doing in the chimney, looks up and then he feels and finds a foot, and that was the moment that you might imagine he called police nine one one to be specific.
00:01:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, and this is this is a school, was it? This is the largest so k through eight right, kids that go to this school.
00:02:03
Speaker 3: It is Robes.
00:02:04
Speaker 1: The first thing I thought when I heard it, it was just disturbing to think the possibility that there was a dead body in this school while kids were going to school for one day, one week, two weeks. We don't know, but from what we are hearing at least rodes right now, this body was in a pretty significant state of decomposition. Now, I know it doesn't necessarily have to take that long, but still it takes a minute.
00:02:29
Speaker 3: It does and several students. Can you imagine, like there were helicopters over this school, police in protective gear, there were police officers. I mean, there was a huge scene with crime scene tape up all around this school, so in one who was in the neighborhood, that's their school. This is PS one thirteen, and so yes, parents and students started heading towards the area where all this activity was taking place, wanting to know what was going on, as did local media. So a lot of the members of the media were interviewing some of these students parents, and we actually have their names. A twelve year old told reporters that he had been smelling a rancid smell in the air for weeks. He described the smell as garbage water, and his quote was it was like smelling something funky.
00:03:17
Speaker 2: I was going to throw up or something.
00:03:20
Speaker 3: Another fifteen year old girl said she and her classmates noticed it at recess a few weeks ago and said it was really bad. Everyone was covering their noses. So that is to me one of the more disturbing parts of this story, where you've had students apparently discussing how disgusting it was smelling around their school.
00:03:43
Speaker 1: That is the most disturbing part because that would suggest that somehow it was missed that these students were going to school every day when they was a deceased person just stuck in a chimney. Now that could go to We don't know how this person died, if they were placed there, if there was some kind of an accident, God forbid. I also don't know why is this person not being looked for. If somebody's missing four weeks, have a question about that. But to think something like this is overlooked in a school, there are some answers we're gonna need.
00:04:21
Speaker 3: Yes, you have a daughter in the public school system here in New York City. I certainly did as well until my.
00:04:28
Speaker 2: Kids grew up. But yeah, you've got old buildings. These are big buildings. They do need repair.
00:04:36
Speaker 3: There are construction projects that go on a lot of these schools. But to think that while this is all happening, someone could just go missing.
00:04:44
Speaker 2: No one knows, no one realizes it.
00:04:47
Speaker 3: And look, police obviously have to consider beyond it just being an accident, which it clearly could have been, that there could have been foul play involved as well. Maybe someone needed a place to stash a body. We don't know thing right now, and that's deeply concerning. Just imagining students, teachers, workers all breathing that air, walking around and the entire time at least, it seems for at least the last.
00:05:13
Speaker 2: Couple of weeks, there was a body of an adult male. That's all we have to go on right now in that chimney.
00:05:21
Speaker 1: And I don't but at this point of course, we don't know layout of the school. But I'm wondering in just how close of proximity were students walking to this body? Was it way off somewhere in the older I mean, a decomposing body. You can do nothing with that smell. You know it when you smell it, it's unmistakable. So I wonder how close were they to it and passing by it? Were they nearby it as they're sitting in classes? Are they walking by? And they said a chimney, right.
00:05:48
Speaker 3: Yes, And I've seen the pictures because they have photographs of some of the police and the investigators up on the roof and you can actually see where the opening to the chimney is. It's a pretty big opening. Certainly a full body could get in there, So we don't know. And look, the kids even talked about how they would climb up the scaffolding because there was scaffolding on the outside of this school because of the construction that's going on. Obviously here in New York City, if you've ever visited, you understand they're scaffolding everywhere. And so some of the kids were saying when they would play ball in the enduring recess, sometimes they.
00:06:24
Speaker 2: Would fly up.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: People would they kids would climb up the scaffolding and get up on the roof where that construction or excuse me, where that chimney is. So that was disturbing to me to think, Wow, where are the teachers, How are kids climbing scaffolding getting balls that go up on the roof.
00:06:42
Speaker 2: So, look, the good news is.
00:06:43
Speaker 3: At least in terms of obviously there was a missing child that would have been a huge piece of this puzzle. And everyone said, this was not the body of a child. This was absolutely an adult male. They know that much. So just to hear the kids talk about how though they have scaled some of these this scaffolding to access the roof to get balls that fly up there. So the point being is, yes, it could be a construction worker, but yes, it seems like because of the scaffolding where it is on the outside of this building, kind of anybody could have been up on that roof and who knows why somebody could have fallen into the chimney purposely been putting a body in that chimney. But it seems as though this roof was accessible to folks because of the construction, because of the scaffolding.
00:07:29
Speaker 1: It makes no so I guess the more likely scenario would be that this was construction and there happened to be a worker up there. But we're talking weeks. Who there was a worker missing sem up there with what purpose? You would have no purpose as an individual to go down into the chimney.
00:07:49
Speaker 2: You just would not.
00:07:50
Speaker 1: And if you quite frankly road looking at it, if you're going to dump a body, that's a very difficult place to haul a body.
00:07:56
Speaker 2: That is true to dump it.
00:07:58
Speaker 1: That is very true guest scenario. But man, how how could you miss a worker? How could nobody be looking for somebody for weeks?
00:08:09
Speaker 2: I don't get That is what is one of the most puzzling parts of this.
00:08:13
Speaker 3: That's one of the quotes from one of the parents who just said, I don't understand if a construction worker went missing and accidentally fell, where where are his bosses, where are his family?
00:08:26
Speaker 2: Where are his friends? How they don't know? And right now police said that's what we're doing right now.
00:08:30
Speaker 3: We're checking to see whether or not any construction workers were reported missing. But to me, that also doesn't make sense because if you have a construction project going on at this school, a construction worker is reported missing, clearly that would have been the first place you would have checked. There have to be records of somebody who was either working on the chimney or working on the building that would have required him to be near the chimney or at least on the roof. We know that they're in terms of the construction that was ongoing. They described it as they were working on the heating, they were working on some of the plumbing, so look, it makes sense that maybe there would be some sort of roof access necessary. They say they were permits for wiring, hot water, heating and other works. So there were permits and there were construction workers, But again, aren't there records about who's coming and going.
00:09:24
Speaker 1: That's the other security concern. You're telling me there were somebody who was on the campus with all the kids and that wasn't accounted for. Ultimately, that's a safety and security issue as well. I just this is really really a bizarre story. It got more bizarre, really broll when I heard, Okay, maybe it was over the weekend, somebody was working, weren't as many out there. That made sense. But when the kids start reporting weeks ago.
00:09:50
Speaker 3: Saying they were holding their noses while they were at recess because the smell was so bad, that is shocking. And look when you see if you want to check this out and go online, you'll see the photos everybody who was in that building who was now investigating this police, they all have like gas masks on, full protective ear.
00:10:14
Speaker 2: That's how bad the smell was.
00:10:15
Speaker 3: Apparently, you can see this was something that was so obvious that even the police when responding to it today had to wear masks. And look, they say they don't know how long the body was there, and they're trying to determine the cause of death. Right now, the body is currently at the Medical Examiner's office here in New York City and they're doing an autopsy and they're trying to identify who this is. That'll be a huge part of figuring out what happened, how it happened, how long ago it happened, and who it happened too. There are so many questions at this point in time, and so that is what police are doing right now. When we come back, we're going to tell you what the Department of Education had to say, because they had a statement around this, and will also tell you with the school custodian who was a part of that original team who first found the body, what he had to say upon making this discovery. And welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. We are talking about a shocking and developing story here in New York City. A badly decomposing body was found in the chimney of a I guess it's an elementary middle school here in Queen's PS one thirteen, the Anthony Pranzo School.
00:11:39
Speaker 2: It's in Glendale, Queens and.
00:11:42
Speaker 3: Up until Friday it was packed full of seven hundred and fifty kids in pre K through eighth grade with teachers and staff and so yes, the last day of school was Friday, but it appears according to kids and people who have been in the building talked about this foul odor that was fairly prominent at least when you were outside in the recess area for the past several weeks. And so the Department of Education had this to say, this discovery is deeply upsetting and concerning, and we are making sure the rights supports are in place for the entire school community while the NYPD investigates.
00:12:20
Speaker 2: That's kind of an understatement, man.
00:12:22
Speaker 1: I guess you know what. Rome was kind of a blessing schools out. I'm glad the kids and that didn't have to deal with that trauma. I mean even next year. Well, that's that's disturbing. That's creepy to go to school in that place. And we'll get more details and maybe it just again maybe road there's nothing more sinister to it than it's just it was an awful accident guy who was working their construction. I just wonder why is no one looking for.
00:12:49
Speaker 3: This guy that that is a huge part of this puzzle. And look, some of the parents were just saying too, just to explain this to the kids. For the kids even to go back to school next year, this is a hard thing. These are young kids who go to this school and obviously this story is everywhere now making headlines. And to think this was that this happened in your school, that your kids were going to this school while the body was there and some of them, yes, even smelling the decomposition of this body.
00:13:17
Speaker 2: That's tough to have those conversations.
00:13:20
Speaker 3: I wouldn't even know where to begin when you're talking to your kids about what folks are saying. I mean, this is obviously going to be the talk of the school for some time.
00:13:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, but again they have time to frankly, figure it out and clean it out before school starts back up again. They got a little time. But again, it's remarkable that this we're just a couple of days removed, two days really, two school days removed from the last day of school, and this happens.
00:13:45
Speaker 3: Yeah, And just to give an idea of just how disturbing this discovery was the exterminator who was called in to investigate this foul odor. He is the one who first found the body. He was so upset. The school custodian said he was right behind him, and he said it was definitely an older gentleman. And he talked about he had like size nine shoes, because they found the shoes. But he said the pest control guy who found at first, I was the second guy.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: He was here, but he had to go home. It was just too much for him.
00:14:17
Speaker 3: And he was talking about how this exterminator was so upset he had to leave.
00:14:21
Speaker 2: He could not stay there.
00:14:22
Speaker 3: And so there's a photograph I just thought it was so telling of the school custodian sitting on the ground. His head was kind of in his hands, he had a mask on, and he was shaken. He said, I am so shaken by seeing what I saw, smelling what I smelled. This this is not something people expect to encounter when they're on the job, either as a pest exterminator or a school custodian. This is just one of those shocking moments that it takes its toll on the folks who are around this. I mean, yes, police officers and medical examiners are perhaps trained to handle, but this is nothing that anyone was expecting to find. And I just can't imagine what the aftermath will be like for so many people who are on the scene there today.
00:15:08
Speaker 1: Well, folks, this is one This is a mystery that we will absolutely be following up on. Just very curious. And again, it could just be an accident in a tragedy, but my goodness, who why is no one looking for this man? Is a question that's a part of the mystery right now, So folks would appreciate you. Just want to hop on and give you that update. This is just happening and developing here in New York, but we always appreciate you just spending time with us on tj on behalf of my dear Mey Robot. We'll talk to y'all soon