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Cold blamed for water-line breaks
Staff Writers The cold weather is to blame for a number of broken water lines in the Brainerd area the past two days.
About 1:10 p.m. Wednesday at Cuyuna Range Elementary School in Crosby, a sprinkler pipe broke, causing water to fall on fluorescent lights and making a mess on the floor, Crosby-Ironton Superintendent Jamie Skjeveland said.
The power supply to the sprinkler system was shut down and the water was cleaned up in minutes, Skjeveland said. No students were in the building at the time of the water leak, he added, due to an early dismissal for a staff development day.
It was the second broken water line at CRES this past week, Skjeveland said. On Monday night, a pipe burst, flooding a classroom. The water was cleaned up using vacuums and fans, he said, but didn't disrupt class schedules.
"This cold doesn't bring out the best in buildings or cars," Skjeveland said.
On Tuesday afternoon, a sprinkler pipe burst in the east lobby area at Brainerd Medical Center, causing some flooding in the lobby, with water seeping down the walls in some adjoining offices on the lower floor of the clinic.
"We've never had a water leak to this magnitude," said Curt Nielsen, BMC clinic administrator.
Nielsen said the water pipe burst around 2-2:30 p.m. Tuesday. He said BMC was able to provide services in most of the clinic building throughout the day Tuesday, despite the water leak, and things were nearly back to normal by Wednesday morning. Carpet cleaners were brought in to clean up Wednesday. The east lobby, where the water leak occurred, is used by pediatrics and family practice.
Garfield Elementary School in Brainerd also experienced a water-line break early Tuesday morning, which resulted in the water being shut off to the building until about 12:30 p.m. In the meantime, students were shuttled to Lowell Elementary School to use the restroom facilities and were able to use the restroom in a motorcoach parked in front of the building.
Temperatures in Brainerd reached 22 below Monday night and 18 below Tuesday night.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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Overcast, 61°
