Piketon school closed for radioactive material being sold 'as-is'

PIKETON, Ohio (WDTN) — A vacant school in southern Ohio has caught the attention of people across the U.S. as it heads for auction.

On Saturday, Aug. 17, Zahn's Corner Middle School in Piketon will be auctioned. The listing displays the 53,000-square-foot building, on around 9.83 acres, selling for a minimum of $270,000.

In May 2019, the Scioto Valley Local School District reported that enriched uranium was located inside, and that neptunium 237 was outside of the building, which prompted the closure of the school.

According to a statement from the Scioto Valley Local School District, the U.S. Department of Energy believed the "radioactive material" presence was due to "stratospheric fallout" from nuclear testing during the 1950s and 1960s. A contradictory opinion found it to have resulted from Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, nearly five miles away.

A spokesperson for the Pike County General Health District confirmed to Nexstar's WDTN that an independent resample study of the inside of the building occurred in late February and early March to identify "all contaminants of concern." At this time, test results are being finalized.