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Somerville High tile failure traced to an out-of-spec installation; contractor completing building-wide checks
Summary
Third-party drone imaging and hands-on inspections are complete for reachable areas of Somerville High School's exterior; contractors identified a single out-of-spec installation as the root cause of a tile fall and expect a final report in early November.
City infrastructure staff updated the committee on the investigation into exterior tiles at Somerville High School after a replacement tile fell and struck a parked vehicle. No one was injured.
Staff said an outside firm conducted drone imaging and provided the team a quick-turn report that helped prioritize hands-on inspections. Contractors completed boom-lift inspections of accessible areas and were using swing-stage access to inspect the remaining zones; the full inspection was expected to be finished the week following the meeting.
Contractors reported a root cause for the tile failure: a tile panel had been installed with elongated (out-of-spec) holes in the metal rail, allowing the bottom clips to work loose over time. The installer—s representative expressed regret; contractors removed panels in multiple locations to check for similar conditions and then developed a less-invasive measuring method (approved by the manufacturer) to assess other areas.
Staff said they had involved the system manufacturer and that the installer and manufacturer were reviewing remediation options. A final report was expected in early November; staff said they would share the report with the committee.
