Human remains found in chimney at Queens public school

Police are investigating after the decomposing body of an adult man was discovered inside a chimney at a Queens public school on Tuesday morning. The grisly find was made at P.S./I.S. 113, the Anthony Pranzo School, in the Glendale neighborhood.

An exterminator, called to the school on 87th Street near 78th Avenue to investigate a foul odor, made the discovery just before 9 a.m. The school custodian, Brendan Chavez, said the exterminator opened the chimney and found the remains. Chavez described the deceased as an older man. Police from the 104th Precinct responded to the scene and secured the area. The city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner removed the body and will determine the cause of death and formally identify the individual.

No students or staff were present at the time of the discovery. The school year ended last Friday, and the building was closed for summer recess. Contractors had been working on the building in recent days, according to police and city records, which show recent permits for various construction projects. Investigators are working to account for all workers and are exploring whether the remains belong to a contractor, though officials emphasized...