Termite damage is considered to be a unfortunate reality for homeowners all over the world. This is especially true for residents of the American Gulf Coast states. Despite the high populations of both invasive and native termites in the southeast, large termite-infested structures, such as government buildings, can usually be saved from demolition. Even in cases where termite damage has occured at a continuous rate for several years, a large building almost never becomes a total loss due to termite damages. However, in one Arkansas town, continuous termite damage to a school building has forced the superintendent to demolish the entire building, and many others.
In the town of Brinkley, Arkansas one school has recently shut down after a termite infestation was discovered on the grounds. Unfortunately, this is not the school districts first run-in with termites. According to school officials, termites have been a constant problem in their buildings for years, or maybe even decades. However, the constant termite-related troubles may have been preventable, as school officials are accusing a commercial pest control company of negligence.
Ever since the mid-seventies, the Brinkley school district has been employing one well known national pest control company to carry out termite inspections on school district properties. Despite regular termite inspections, the pest control company repeatedly claimed that termites were not present within any of the district’s schools. This claim has been challenged by school district officials as a student recently fell through one school’s termite-infested floorboards. Shortly after this incident, a widespread termite infestation was noticed by school staff members. Consequently, the school has been evacuated and is scheduled for demolition.
Amazingly, this is not the only instance of a termite infestation within the district’s schools. Termites have infested dozens of buildings that the particular pest control company regularly approved as being termite-free zones. Twenty two of the districts twenty four government buildings are now scheduled for demolition due to unmanageable termite infestations. The school district superintendent is filing a lawsuit against the pest control chain in response to their apparent negligence.
Do you think that termites are naturally attracted to larger structures as opposed to smaller ones due to the greater amount of available sustenance in larger structures?
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