Kindergartner Killed in Cafeteria Accident

P H I L A D E L P H I A, Feb. 1 -- A kindergartner walking out of a schoolcafeteria after lunch was killed today when he apparently leanedagainst a folded cafeteria table and it fell on him, a schoolofficial said.

One of the 5-year-old boy's parents was called to the HamiltonDisston School after the accident, which happened at about 11:20a.m. as students were leaving the first-floor cafeteria. The boywas taken to Frankford Hospital's Torresdale Division, where he waspronounced dead. Four classes, or a total of about 120 students, had eaten duringthe first-period lunch just before the accident. The boy's classwas the last one to leave the cafeteria but it wasn't immediatelyknown how many children saw the table fall on him, school spokesmanPaul Hanson said.

"Yes, there were classmates who witnessed it," Hanson said."I have no information that any other student was in the vicinityor in any other way close to being injured."

Parents Rushed to the School

Many parents who heard about the accident rushed to the school,which remained open.

John Gerretz came to pick up his daughter, a fourth grader, andwas told by a school counselor that "a table fell on [a child] andunfortunately he passed away."

School officials prepared letters for students to take hometelling them about the accident.

"We are very sorry today. One of our students had a fatalaccident in the lunchroom," the letter said.

Hanson said the table folded in the middle and was being storedon castors in an upright position, as it was designed to do. Philadelphia police were investigating.

The school, located in Northeast Philadelphia, has 739 studentsin kindergarten through eighth grades. Counselors were madeavailable for students and would also be at the school Friday.

"All children react differently. Some will withdraw. We have toreact to those who withdraw as well as those who act out," saidVern Trent, a safety and behavioral health adviser for the schooldistrict.