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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Ind. Courts - "Pipe burst floods Hancock Courthouse offices"

Bill McCleery of the Indianapolis Star reports late this afternoon:

A water pipe burst Tuesday above the third floor of the Hancock County courthouse, sending water spurting downward and flooding several courtrooms and offices on the second and third floors of the building.

"We're assuming the pipe froze," said Greenfield Fire Chief Lewis McQueen. "It was a water line to a sprinkler head, running through an unheated portion of the building."

County officials recently spent $6 million on an interior renovation and historical restoration of the courthouse, which was built a century ago.

As of Tuesday afternoon, insurance adjustors had not determined monetary costs of repairing damages, McQueen said. In addition to fixing the water line, workers will need to replace carpeting, repair ceilings and perform other repairs, he said.

"It's disheartening," McQueen observed. "But those things happen."

The pipe burst about 9:15 a.m., McQueen estimated. County workers tried to cover computers and other equipment with tarps to protect whatever they could, he said.

The courthouse remained closed Tuesday afternoon pending repairs. McQueen was unsure when the courthouse might reopen.

Here are stories on the Hancock Courthouse, including, sadly, this one from Dec. 16th headed "Hancock courthouse work reveals historic features."

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 6, 2007 06:02 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts