PEARCY -- Water from a burst pipe in the auditorium affected about a quarter of Lake Hamilton High School, district officials learned Monday morning.
An elevated pipe above the stage in the high school auditorium burst at some point during the weekend. The pipe feeds into the fire suppressant sprinkler system.
Lake Hamilton School District operates on a different schedule during the summer. Superintendent Steve Anderson said no one was in the high school from noon on Friday until about 7 a.m. Monday. It is unknown when the pipe burst.
The leak sprayed onto one of the large curtains on the auditorium stage. Water flowed from the stage and onto the auditorium floor, which is sloped downward toward the stage.
"Up right next to the stage on the bottom area we had about 10-12 inches of water standing when we got there this morning," Anderson said.
Water pooled at its deepest close to the stage. Anderson said carpet had been soaked by the leak about seven or eight rows back in the auditorium.
The water flowed out from the auditorium and into the hallways, which are also sloped. Soaked carpeting in the library media center, band room and various classrooms made up much of the damage. Jeff Britt, director of support services, coordinated cleanup efforts early on Monday.
"Mr. Britt and the maintenance crew got in first thing, started pumping water out this morning," Anderson said.
Some electronics and other supplies were damaged in the hallways. Anderson said items are often placed and stacked in the hallways during the summer.
"We are in the middle of assessing that and we'll take care of it," Anderson said.
Lake Hamilton is covered by an insurance company through the Arkansas School Boards Association. Workers and assessors were sent to the school Monday from Little Rock and locally. All-Clean Restoration Services employees helped clean the affected areas and vacuum the carpeting.
"It's still early on to say exactly how extensive it is, but it was considerable flooding," Anderson said. "I guess it's a good thing it wasn't the first day of school."
Official school professional development will begin Aug. 8. Students will return to school the following Monday, Aug. 15.
Local on 07/26/2016