Ashland Fire Department Capt. Mike Brogan talks with Kevin Johnson about how to stop a water leak at Ashland High yesterday. (Staff photo by Bill Thompson)
ASHLAND -- Quick-thinking custodians yesterday helped save a trophy case, with irreplaceable photos, and a 2-year-old gymnasium floor from ruin when a water pipe burst at the high school.The fire department received a call yesterday
afternoon at 2:42 after the pipe, located in a ceiling about 10 feet from the
main doors of the school's large gymnasium, burst, said Capt. Micheal Brogan.
The pipe was spewing hot water and steam into the hallway, he said.
Using brooms, squeegees, shovels and buckets, custodians helped push the
water away from the gym and away from a nearby trophy case.
"They just eliminated a catastrophic event," said Brogan.
"They really saved the day. The (Ashland High) Booster Club ought to have a
cookout for them."
The entire six-man high school custodial team was at the building yesterday
to help with snow removal, even though classes were canceled, said Kevin
Johnson, the School Department buildings and grounds supervisor.
When the fire alarm sounded, Frank Bizjak, Ray Muri, Larry Allen, Bill Hollis
and father-and-son co-workers Ramiro and Alex Carneiro acted quickly, Johnson
said.
"They kept the water contained to a small area of the hallway,"
Johnson said during a telephone interview as he held the failed pipe in his
hand.
Johnson and Brogan said the pipe, which recirculates water, froze and cracked
open, but as of yesterday evening they did not know why. The pipe was properly
insulated, Brogan said.
The custodians not only helped clean up the hot water, but they worked in
their civilian clothes, without protective gear such as firefighters wear,
Brogan said.
"This school is a community," said Brogan. "I don't think
enough can be said for what they did."
By 3:40 p.m. water merely dripped from the ceiling and custodians and
firefighters used wet-dry vacuums to clean up the mess, Brogan said. By 5 p.m.
all was repaired, Johnson said.
"It was a quick response from a great team," said Johnson.
The burst pipe will not delay the opening of school today.