Friends and family are mourning a Philadelphia School District mechanic who died months after he was injured during a boiler explosion at an elementary school in East Mount Airy.
Christopher Trakimas, an automatic plant mechanic for the school district, was working in the basement of the Franklin S. Edmonds Elementary School on 8000 Thouron Avenue back on January 13 when the boiler suddenly exploded. Trakimas suffered second and third degree burns to the lower part of his body and was taken to Einstein Hospital for treatment.
Philadelphia School District Superintendent Dr. William Hite announced Trakimas died from his injuries Wednesday morning, over four months after the explosion.
“On behalf of the entire School District of Philadelphia community, I offer my sincere condolences to Mr. Trakimas’ family, colleagues, loved ones and the Franklin S. Edmonds school community,” Dr. Hite wrote in a released statement.
“I am profoundly sad to learn that Christopher Trakimas has lost his life after a four-month battle for recovery," said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. "Christopher was a dedicated employee and member of SEIU 32BJ who worked on behalf of the School District and its students for 25 years. He will be sorely missed by the entire school community and his fellow laborers."
Maintenance Director Bob Hunter described him as a “dedicated and proud employee, who was not only a hard worker, but a great husband, father and person.”
Officials never released the exact cause of the explosion though they did not believe it was suspicious.
