All City of Independence services are fully operational this morning after a weekend water line break caused basement flooding at temporary city hall, 811 W. Laurel. Some repair work is underway in the basement today, so citizens needing to access the Independence Police Department or Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office should go to the second floor of the building and use the courtesy phone to contact these departments.
David Cowan, director of Safety and Code Enforcement for the city, explained the break in an 8-inch water line on the west side of the building occurred approximately 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, causing flooding to an elevator shaft and eventually some basement flooding as incoming water overtook the sump pump and shorted out electrical wiring. Cowan said staff on duty Saturday afternoon reacted quickly to contain the water and minimize damage by removing computers and electronic equipment in the water’s path. Both police and sheriff dispatch services are located in the basement, but there was no disruption of 911 service, Cowan said. Network services that were temporarily lost were restored by 5 p.m. Saturday, and the water line repair was completed by 8 p.m., he noted.
With the help of a local cleaning company, the city is continuing the dry-out of the basement today and making additional repairs as needed, Cowan said.