Apparent human remains are found in an NYC school’s chimney

It’s unclear how long the remains had been there or how they got there. Police are investigating, and city medical examiners are to determine what caused the death.

What appear to be human remains were found in a chimney at a New York City school on Tuesday, a few days into summer break, police said.

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It’s unclear how long the remains had been there or how they got there. Police are investigating, and city medical examiners are to determine what caused the death.

Officers were summoned around 9 a.m. to the public elementary and middle school in Queens and were told of the find. Police said no students or staffers were in the building at the time — Friday was the last day of school systemwide — but contractors apparently had been working in the building lately. City Buildings Department records show recent permits for wiring, hot water heating and other work.