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Broken pipe closes Ionia Middle School

Posted at 2:19 PM, Feb 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-04 17:56:36-05

IONIA, Mich. - The Ionia School District was closed Monday because a major pipe broke, flooding the boiler room.

The cold water line broke early Monday morning in the Ionia Middle School. Superintendent Devin Wilson says they closed the district because they would all have to make up the day if the district's total attendance dropped below 75 percent, which would have been likely.

The flooding took place in the room where two boilers heat the building.  Wilson says a two-inch water pipe froze and burst sometime late Saturday or early Sunday morning.

Over 37,000 gallons of water flooded the boiler room up to about five feet deep.

“We want to make sure we provide a safe and secure learning environment for our kids. We're trying to asses the problem where the room has been pumped out and we've got mechanical contractors on site and we're trying to determine whether or not we're going to be able to use that building," said Wilson.

The water has been pumped out and water and electrical services were turned off. Crews are still assessing the damages, but the schools will be closed on Tuesday.