Editor’s note: Darren Marcy’s story first appeared in the Valley News on Aug. 20.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION – Some businesses were given the OK to open Friday as cleanup and repairs continued at the 130-year-old Gates Briggs building after a water main break Monday evening flooded the building’s floors with 300,000 to 400,000 gallons of water.
Hartford Fire Marshal Tom Peltier said he approved a temporary hold that will allow business to open Friday in the building after all conditions related to maintaining fire-safety systems are back in good working order.
The main water main that feeds the sprinkler system was being repaired Friday afternoon, but the system was extended to allow a pumper truck to provide water, allowing commuters to reopen. There are no living rooms in the building.
While some businesses have reopened in limited capacity, others may not return for a week or more as they clean up. Revolution owner Kim Souza has announced that her business will be closed until August 29.
Although her home only has 8 inches of water, less than the rest of the building, she said the silt behind it is still messing things up.
David Briggs, who manages the family trust that owns the building, said the cleanup would leave the building “as clean as new construction when they finish”.
A line break that flooded the basement caused problems Friday as an 8-foot-deep sinkhole, 3 to 4 feet across, opened up on the North Main Street sidewalk near the Tuckerbox.
City Manager Tracy Yarlott-Davis said the city is closing sidewalks and parking lots until an engineer can determine what repairs need to be made.
Until the lines are fully repaired and the water supply is restored to the sprinkler system, restaurants Tuckerbox and Piemeal Pies will be limited to reduced occupancy, Yarlott-Davis said.
The upstairs of the Briggs Opera House is out of power and has not been cleared for occupancy.
Briggs said the electrical panel for the opera house was in the basement and workers wanted to inspect it carefully before deciding it was safe. A small theater production has moved to the Hotel Coolidge, Briggs said.
Briggs said the work is underway, but it will be up to the supply chain to determine how long the repairs will take.
“Critical operations are completely dependent on equipment supply lines,” Briggs said.
Once the equipment is in hand, installation is a two-day job, Briggs said.
“This could be completed by the end of next week, but it could take a long time,” Briggs said.
The building is under a “fire watch,” which requires the building’s owners to have someone on site 24 hours a day.
“The crew literally has to go through the entire building and make sure there are no problems,” Peltier said. “You walk through the building and make sure there are no accidents, fire, smoke, etc.”
Peltier said the building is structurally sound and that any problems for temporary occupancy have been mitigated, but will be reviewed next week or sooner if conditions change.
“For the time being, all systems and components have been confirmed,” Peltier said.
He said that the fire alarm system is working and the electrical system is safe.
The cause of the flooding was determined to be a water line feeding the underground distribution sprinkler system, which burst, filling the floor with waist-deep water before shutting off.
On Friday, Yarlott-Davis said the city is still reviewing the case, but there is no indication that any construction in the area has anything to do with the break.
“We haven’t worked on the side of the building in over 40 days,” said Jarlot Davis. There was no sign of compression or anything of that nature.
Briggs said he would wait before revealing those details.
“Experts and professionals will sort it out and look at the facts,” Briggs said. “We recorded it very well.”
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