The Glendale school was closed for summer construction, and officials said no students were inside.
NEW YORK, NY — Human remains were found Tuesday morning inside a chimney at P.S./I.S. 113 Anthony J. Pranzo in Glendale, Queens, after a foul odor led a school custodian to call an exterminator, police and city officials said.
The discovery brought police, emergency crews and medical examiner staff to a public school building that had already shut down for summer work. The case is now a death investigation, with detectives trying to determine who the person was, how the remains got into the chimney and how long they had been there.
Police were called to the school shortly before 9 a.m. June 30 for a report of possible human remains. The building, near 87th Street and 78th Avenue in Glendale, was empty of students because the school year had ended the previous week. A custodian had noticed a strong odor and contacted an exterminator, believing the smell could be tied to pests. During the inspection, the worker found signs that led to the call to authorities. Officers arrived and were told possible remains were inside the chimney. “This discovery is deeply upsetting and concerning,” New York City Public Schools said in a statement, adding that support was being arranged for the school community while the NYPD investigates.
Authorities had not released the person’s name, age or official cause of death as of Wednesday. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner is expected to identify the remains and determine how the person died. Police said the investigation was ongoing, and no arrest or criminal charge had been announced. Reports from the scene said investigators were looking at whether the remains could be connected to work taking place inside or around the school. Detectives were expected to speak with contractors and review whether any workers were unaccounted for. Officials did not say whether there were signs of forced entry, whether the person entered the chimney from the roof or another part of the building, or whether the death was accidental, criminal or undetermined.
P.S./I.S. 113 Anthony J. Pranzo serves children from prekindergarten through eighth grade and enrolls about 750 students. The school had been closed for the summer and was undergoing construction and repair work. City records showed recent permits for building systems, including wiring and hot water heating work. The timing limited the number of people in the building when the remains were found. City education officials said no students were present at the time, and reports said no regular school staff were inside except those tied to building access and maintenance. The school’s summer closure came just days after the final day of classes for New York City public schools.
The discovery raised immediate questions about access to the building and the work zone. Investigators were expected to examine the chimney, the roof, nearby scaffolding and other possible entry points. Emergency crews also had to determine how to safely remove the remains without damaging possible evidence. Police did not say whether surveillance video was available or whether cameras covered the roof or chimney area. The medical examiner’s findings could guide the next steps, including whether the case remains a death investigation or moves toward a criminal probe. The most important pending facts are the person’s identity, time of death and path into the chimney.
Neighbors and parents described shock after learning that remains had been found at a school used by young children. The odor had drawn attention before the discovery, according to reports from the scene, but it was first treated as a possible pest problem. That changed when the exterminator inspected the area and found evidence that prompted the 911 call. The school building sits in a residential section of Glendale, where the sight of police vehicles and emergency workers outside a closed school quickly drew concern. City officials said the building was not being used for classes and that the school community would receive support as the investigation continues.
The NYPD remained the lead agency Wednesday, with the medical examiner’s office handling identification and cause-of-death findings. Officials had not announced when those findings would be released. The next major update is expected after the remains are identified and investigators determine how the person entered the chimney.
Author note: Last updated July 1, 2026.