Burst hose floods new Longfellow Elementary

A burst hose is believed to be the cause of flooding at the new Longfellow school in Mitchell that left 2 inches of water in the gymnasium and approximately 1 inch in ground-floor classrooms facing First Avenue.

Superintendent Joe Graves said Puetz Corporation was draining the water on Sunday afternoon, hours after the flooding was discovered earlier in the morning.

Graves said it’s unknown why the hose burst or to whom it belonged, but he said insurance will cover any damages.

“There was no structural damage, but there’s damage to material that was brought over from the old Longfellow school to be stored in the gym before being taken into the classrooms,” Graves said. “However, everything that was going upstairs had already been moved there, so that’s all safe.”

Graves said the hose burst sometime between Friday evening and Sunday morning.

The incident will not, Graves said, delay the opening of the building, which will take place sometime before the first day of school Aug. 23.

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