BURST PIPES: A PIPE THAT BURST
JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAUSED WATER DAMAGE IN AT LEAST SIX CLASSROOMS AT NEWARK
MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
NEWARK (KPIX) — A pipe that burst just before Christmas
caused water damage in at least six classrooms at Newark Memorial High School.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” Superintendent Dave
Marken told KPIX.
Marken said that school custodians found water standing
four feet high in one of the rooms.
“When they discovered it and opened the doors, water
went rushing out of the classrooms,” he said.
The source of all that water is a fire department main
which runs under the school. Marken isn’t sure what caused the line to explode,
but he’s glad no students were there.
“One of the floors in one of the classrooms essentially
blew up three feet of cement… It could have been more devastating than it is,”
Marken said.
Marken said crews that have been working for days to
clean up the mess still have months of work ahead. He estimates the flooding
caused between $2 and $4 million in damage.
Students won’t get any time off. Temporary classrooms
are being set up and faculty and students returning Monday will be notified of
the changes.