Clean-Up Efforts Will Keep Doors Closed Until Mid-January

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will remain closed to students until January 16 while crews work to clean up the damage from a Christmas Day tornado.

University spokesman Bob Ross says students expecting classes to start on January 10 will have to wait an extra six days.

Ross told the Dayton Beach News-Journal, "That will give the university administration time to complete the cleanup and do some repairs."

The storm that ripped through the university campus at Daytona Beach International Airport brought heavy rains and an F2 tornado with 120+ mph winds.

Ross said the tornado destroyed 40 of the university's aircraft and damaged 10 others. The storm also damaged nine campus structures.

The university expects no changes to the rest of the winter/spring schedule including Spring Break and Graduation.

As of right now, access to the campus is restricted to a skeleton crew of around two dozen school administrators, safety and maintenance workers. Security is allowing contractors and engineers through to assess damage and estimate repair time and costs.

The campus's main administrative building -- Spruance Hall -- was severely damaged in the storm and engineers are doubtful it can be repaired.

University director of construction and planning Dita Peatross told the Journal, "It was built to older codes. It may be cheaper to tear it down and rebuild."

School administrators are asking students not to return to the campus until the new class-start date.

Crews are working as fast as possible to close up damaged structures with temporary repairs as more severe weather threatens. A massive winter storm is moving east across the US with forecasters predicting strong to severe thunderstorms ahead of it for the southeastern US late this weekend and into next week.

FMI: www.erau.edu