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UPDATE: Residents return to Nanaimo condo building flooded by burst pipe

Building flooded when accumulating water collapsed ceiling above top-storey condominium
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Nanaimo firefighters were called to a condominium building after a pipe burst and caused extensive flooding Wednesday, Dec. 29. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

UPDATE: The majority of residents have returned to their homes after their condo building was flooded by a burst pipe.

Stu Kenning, Nanaimo Fire Rescue assistant chief of operations, said after firefighters were able to properly assess the extent of flooding from a burst sprinkler pipe, it was found the majority of the condo units had not suffered serious damage.

“A sprinkler line in the roof froze and exploded and water was coming down through the roof,” Kenning said. “Initially, it looked like there were a lot of units involved, but in the end, everyone but [residents of] three units were able to go back in their units and most of them were able to go back in last night.”

Kenning said technicians were able to quickly repair the pipe and turn water back on as residents were allowed back into their homes and by the time firefighters left the scene at about 6:30 p.m. electricians were working on getting electrical power restored to the building.

“With the amount of water that was out front [of the building] we thought it would be a lot more, but it turned out to be only three units that were most damaged,” Kenning said. “Other ones had very minimal damage … the drainage did its job and got it away from the building.”

All of the residents have insurance.

PREVIOUSLY POSTED: Residents of an entire condominium building in Nanaimo have been displaced by flooding.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue were called to the 500 block of Stewart Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29, after a pipe burst in the top floor of the waterfront building.

Water rushing from the pipe accumulated in the attic space above the top floor of the structure and collapsed a ceiling above one of the condominiums and flooded much of the structure.

Firefighters on scene said power and water have been shut off to the building and residents have been evacuated from the estimated 15 condominium units.

Emergency personnel on scene did not know how many residents were displaced, but no injuries were reported and Nanaimo Emergency Social Services Program has been notified.

The cause of the pipe failure has yet to be determined, but is suspected to be the result of the sustained freezing temperatures Nanaimo has experienced over the past several days.



photos@nanaimobulletin.com
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Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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