Colfax elementary library still drying out after hose break

The flooded library at Jennings Elementary School in Colfax is still drying out. Library class sessions are being conducted with Librarian Pam Becker making visits to classrooms.

Dehumidifiers and fans are running in the library to suck out the last bits of moisture.

“There is still too much moisture in the ceiling,” said Supt. Michael Morgan, adding the panels in the ceiling are still too wet for youngsters to be in the library.

A water connection hose broke in the ceiling of the library May 7 and filled the room with enough water and steam to destroy all the electronics, many books, six tables and other fixtures in the room.

When the hose, about the size of a garden hose, burst early Saturday morning, water dropped onto the six full-size classroom tables and then spilled onto the floor. Because the hot water had been pressurized, a thick cloud of steam filled the space.

The heavy steam destroyed two student computers, several library computers and a yet unknown number of children’s books.

Morgan said the district’s building insurance company has already agreed to help replace some of the electronics.

The library’s books were left in the room to benefit from the circulating air from the fans.

School principal Tom Arlt said in an interview last week that many of the books were damaged irreparably because of the heavy steam in the room.

Morgan said they hope to have students back to a regular schedule as soon as possible. The more major repairs to be done to the library may come this summer when students are gone.