A water line break on Friday caused flooding inside the Silver Creek Justice Center, the site of Summit County’s Third District Court.
Summit County Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright said that officers who arrived at about 7:30 in the morning to open up the courthouse discovered the flood.
He said the problem stemmed from a six-inch water line connected to a valve, outside the west end of the building, which can connect to a fire hose. Lt. Wright said that about eight feet underground, bolts on the line broke.
The west end of the Justice Center was flooded with about an inch of water, including the county attorney’s office, one courtroom and the lobby space extending down to the building’s main entrance.
Lt. Wright said the staff has been able to work in the building.
“I think they’re still able to work, but they have been having to move furniture and whatnot. They brought in a cleaning company to suck the water out of the carpet. Because it was for the fire suppression system, doesn’t affect the main water for the toilets and sinks and drinking water. That’s still on, it’s just the fire suppression system.”
County Attorney Margaret Olson told KPCW that luckily, she was at the Children’s Justice Center, near Highway 40, when the line broke, and was able to rush over to her office and move equipment and belongings off the floor. She said she returned Saturday and was surprised to find the carpets were already dry.
Lt. Wright said the Facilities Department has reported that everything in the building seems to be salvageable. However, Wright said the fire suppression line is still down and they’re having trouble finding someone to repair the system.