Aug 26, 2005 By Patty Yauger 2 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Industrial fans and dehumidifiers continue to dry out the city’s municipal building after a plumbing accident that sent thousands of gallons of water throughout administrative offices and the police station. “We definitely have a mess,” city Police Chief Stephen Cooper said Thursday.

City maintenance worker Jim Smith was making repairs to a commode in a main floor restroom Wednesday when a fixture broke, causing the water flow.

In addition to the administrative offices, the main floor of the building houses city council chambers, the tax and health officer’s office and the office of an aide for U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.

The city police department is located on the ground floor of the building.

All areas of the building were affected by the water.

After the water inundated the first floor, it flowed down an interior stairway to the police department and filtered through the main floor to the ceiling of the ground floor department.

Cooper said that several computers and associated hardware were damaged in the flooding, along with carpeting and ceiling tiles. Other police equipment, files and uniforms sustained water damage, he added.

Administrative personnel were able to recover files that were stored in an office vault, but they have yet to determine if all office computers remain in working order.

Councilwoman Chris Wagner, director of parks and public buildings, said it is too early to give an accurate accounting of the damage.

“I’m just asking that everyone track the damages,” she said.

Servicemaster of Fay West, a damage recovery service, is working with the city to remove the water from the floors, walls and ceilings, Wagner added.