Leak damages school offices

Published 9:41 pm Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Some Suffolk Public Schools administrators are working from other offices after a sprinkler system leak over the weekend caused damages in the school administrative offices.

The seven-story building at 100 N. Main St. suffered from a faulty gasket at a junction of the pipes, Assistant Superintendent Kevin Alston said. The leak damaged parts of the seventh floor and at least three floors below it, spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw said.

The fire department had to be called out on Monday because the work on the system triggered the fire alarm.

Email newsletter signup

Those with offices on the seventh floor — which include Superintendent Deran Whitney, School Board attorney Wendell Waller and others — could have to work from other floors temporarily, but workers in the rest of the building will not be affected, Alston said.

Alston said they are still assessing possible damages to electronics and other equipment. He said one computer on the seventh floor might be damaged and a copier on the seventh floor still needs to be checked for damage.

The school division rents the building, and the building owner will be paying to make the repairs, Alston added.

The leak caused the Superintendent’s Student Art Show to be postponed from Tuesday to May 8.