Students return to Durham School of the Arts for first time since explosion

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Students and teachers were welcomed back to Durham School of the Arts on Monday for the first time since last week's deadly gas explosion.

Investigators continued to sift through the remains of the explosion as some parents walked their children to school.

Alexis Kyzyzinaiak is a middle school student at Durham School of the Arts. She said she heard the April 10 explosion while she was in class.

"There was like a loud boom! And the whole building shook and there was a big ball of fire," she said. "We just ran out of class."

The explosion even rocked the school building, forcing an evacuation and cancelling classes Thursday and Friday.

On Monday, Alexis walked with her mom, Erica Goss, to school.

"I just want to make sure she feels safe and secure today," Goss said. "I let her know that she could give me a call if she had any worries or doesn't feel good at the school today."

"I heard the explosion and the building shook, but I didn't see anything," student Anna Lena Mecagni recalled as she too walked to class Monday.

Neither her nor her dad expressed concerned for the first day back.

"The school seems safe enough," Anna Lena's dad said.

Counselors were on campus for any member of the staff or students who wanted to talk.