Little Village school closes lunch room kitchen due to roach infestation

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An infestation of roaches has forced an elementary school to shut down its lunch room.

Parents and teachers at the Saucedo School say the cockroach problem has been an ongoing issue. School officials say they've tried fumigation and exterminators but teachers and staff say the roaches in the lunch room remain out of control.

"Yes there are roaches in the cafeteria. The kitchen has been kept clean. Unfortunately the condition of the floor has turned it into a nest for roaches," says principal Isamar Vargas Colon.

The root of the problem appears to be in the floor of the kitchen in the lunch room, school officials say. They called in experts over spring break, but the roaches remained. So they have closed the lunch room kitchen and instead have been serving cold lunches. District officials are aware of the problem and say they will transport hot lunches to the school beginning Friday.

"If someone on a North Side school would have said this problem, it would have been fixed immediately," said Saucedo teacher Sarah Chambers.

The district plans to completely remodel the school during the summer break after classes end. District officials say they believe the only way to eradicate the problem is to completely replace the floor.