Atlas Twp.? A cracked pipe at Oaktree Elementary resulted in a soaking last week.
The 1.75-inch air-filled galvanized steel pipe was situated horizontally in the gables of the school, the upper part of a two-level fire suppression system, said Brian Walton, Goodrich Schools Special Services director.
‘Sometime Thursday the air pressure dropped in the line,? said Walton. ‘I don’t know whether moisture or ice in the pipe caused it to expand and cracked the pipe.?
The system alarm was triggered at approximately 10 p.m. Jan. 29, after air escaped through the 20-inch cracked section of pipe, which is normally filled with 35 to 37 pounds of air pressure, Walton said.
When the fire suppression system is alerted of reduced air pressure, pipes fill with pressurized water that pushes through sprinkler heads facing up to the gables, as well as downturned ceiling sprinkler heads. In this case, however, water gushed from the cracked pipe down into insulation and the ceiling, to the children’s center below.
‘Right away I started looking for a fire,? said Butch VanNest, who was working in the building when the alarm sounded. VanNest has worked as a Goodrich custodian for the past five years. ‘It took us about 10 minutes to figure out just where the problem had occurred.?
Water also spread to the entry, and down the central aquarium hall as far as the library, stopping short of seeping into nearby classrooms, said Walton.
‘Everything was drenched,? said Jo Anne Hatto, Goodrich Community Education director. ‘The insulation came popping through.?
Insurance estimates for repair, replacement and clean-up total about $25,000, said Walton, who thinks the actual costs may be less.
Walton, Hatto, and Oaktree Principal Kim Hart were among five school officials called in to bail out the school Thursday night. They worked until after 1 a.m. Friday, Walton said.
‘We stayed until we knew we didn’t have any more water coming in,? said Walton.
Borrowing equipment from other schools, the team sloshed through two inches of water, moving furnishings and equipment and extracting water from the floor of the children’s center classrooms and office area.
‘We’re lucky there were no students in the building at the time,? said Hart, whose biggest concern was preventing the growth of any mold in the rooms.
Parents were notified Friday morning that preschool classes, as well as preschool child care, had been cancelled for Friday and Monday.
‘We had a team in here just making phone calls Friday morning? to parents of more than 50 children involved in the program, said Walton.
Most children affected were in the two-hour preschool program.
The infant and toddler room remained in operation. Elementary-aged children cared for before or after school were transferred to the gym, said Walton.
Staff cleaned furniture and toys with bleach Friday, setting out heaters and fans to dry out cupboards and equipment. An area rug was sent out for cleaning.
‘We wanted to get the classroom back together and the kids back in,? said Walton.
The preschool sand table, some cupboards, craft and food items, books, the contents of a storage closet and other equipment had to be thrown out.
Another sand table has already been ordered.
‘We want to make sure we’ve got everything we need to run a quality program,? said Hatto.
Phones and computers were disconnected in the children’s center office.
Although bringing the office to a functional state took a back seat to readying the classrooms for use, the office was expected to be back in service Feb. 5 after new carpeting was installed.
‘It’s a credit to the custodial, maintenance, and community ed staff,? said Hatto. ‘They all worked together.?
School officials are investigating whether a similar problem at Oaktree last year stemming from the same pipe system is related. The pipes were installed new when the school was built, said Walton, and are approximately seven years old.
The 80,000-square-foot Oaktree Elementary school opened on Jan. 2, 1997 at a cost of $8 million. About 500 students attend the kindergarten through fourth-grade facility along with a staff of about 100.