Fence collapses, kills boy, 11
Brother injured when play turns tragic in Methuen
An 11-year-old boy was killed and his 8-year-old brother seriously injured when a heavy metal fence fell on top of them while they were playing outside a Methuen school yesterday afternoon, city and school officials said.
The accident occurred just after 3:30 on the grounds of the Tenney Grammar School, where four children, including the boys' 13-year-old brother and another boy, also about 13, were playing near the fence, Mayor William Manzi said in a news conference at the school last night.
The 13-year-old brother and the other boy ran for help when the fence fell, one calling 911 and the other alerting the boys' relatives.
The boys' father, other family members, and an off-duty police officer ran to the scene, but could not lift the fence off the boys until emergency personnel arrived, city officials said yesterday.
Emergency personnel performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Timothy Dileo, 11, before taking him to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, where he was declared dead.
Andrew Dileo, 8, was taken from Holy Family to Children's Hospital Boston with internal injuries.
His family was with him at Children's Hospital last night, officials said. A hospital spokesman said he was in fair condition.
"Any time you lose a child, it's tragic," said Jeanne Whitten, Methuen's schools superintendent, who spoke at the news conference. "This isn't supposed to happen. Children shouldn't die."
Details of the accident were not known as of last night. Methuen police and State Police detectives assigned to the Essex district attorney's office are investigating, said Joseph E. Solomon, Methuen's police chief.
"Based on what we have at this time, it appears it was just an accident," Solomon said.
The fence, near the school's dump sters, is made of iron, Solomon said. Police removed the fence as evidence, he said.
The three brothers were students at the school, where classes are to begin tomorrow, Manzi said. The district's schools will open as scheduled, Whitten said. She said officials were working last night to ensure that grief counseling services would be available.
"The administrative team is working on a plan for everyone," Whitten said in an interview. "This is a tight-knit community, and this will impact the whole district. We plan on having many things in place for the children, faculty, and staff."
The district will also inspect its other schools, she said.
Outside the brick school on Pleasant Street, eighth-grader Adrianna Diaz stood with five of her friends and peered anxiously at police and city officials standing near the accident scene.
"That's so sad," Diaz said. She later rushed up to a police officer and said, "We just want to know the names. I could know them."
Students and neighbors said children often play on the school's playground and basketball courts.
"We play here all the time," said Annette Karl, who lives next door to the school and walked to the scene yesterday with her three children. "It's a pretty safe place, but I guess anything can happen."
She told her children to be careful as they scaled a stone wall near the school. Then, looking at the building, she said, "It's tragic."
Renée Doherty, 31, said the Dileos immediately welcomed her family when they moved into a house across the street in July. Doherty's son, 7, became fast friends with Andrew, and the Dileo boys were always outside, riding bikes or playing basketball, she said.
Timothy was "rambunctious and fun-loving" and seemed particularly close with his older brother. "They were always together. . . . I never saw one without the other," Doherty said.
The Dileos also have a daughter, who is about 14, Doherty said.
Christine McConville of the Globe staff contributed to this report. 