Classes resume in NE HPE following flooding problem

By Gary Collins/managing editor

Maintenance workers repair pipe in the NE Campus HPE building after a pipe burst Jan. 22 and flooded the building.  Photo by Kami Myles/The Collegian
Maintenance workers repair pipe in the NE Campus HPE building after a pipe burst Jan. 22 and flooded the building. Photo by Kami Myles/The Collegian
The pool will remain closed until new pumping hardware is received.  Photo by Kami Myles/The Collegian
The pool will remain closed until new pumping hardware is received. Photo by Kami Myles/The Collegian

NE health and physical education classes moved back into the HPE building this week after being displaced last week.

Classes were temporarily moved to other NE Campus locations after flooding occurred in the building.

“We had a pressurized pipe under water pressure that broke. When it broke, it caused the water to back up, flowing into the building and reaching a 480-volt main distribution panel,” David Hoelke, TCC director of system infrastructure and engineering, said. “Once the water reached that panel, we lost all power.”

The flood occurred between midnight and 3 a.m. Jan. 22. An employee of NE plant superintendent Mike Tankersley discovered the flooding later that morning.

Maintenance employees worked all week to restore power, remove the water and clean up the areas.

The gym and workout facilities reopened Jan. 24, and classes returned Jan. 26.

The pool will remain closed until NE maintenance receives new pumping hardware from the manufacturer.