A pipe burst on Saturday at around 5 p.m. sending water from the courthouse's sprinkler system into the holding cells and lobby
TRENTON - A pipe burst at the new Mercer County Criminal Courthouse over the weekend, flooding the $52 million building's holding cells and lobby, officials said this morning.
Crews were busy cleaning carpets and running fans and dehumidifiers today. Approximately an inch of water flooded the basement and first floor. The pipe for the sprinkler system began leaking around 5 p.m. Saturday, said Mercer County Improvement Authority Executive Director Phillip Miller.
“There was a pipe that burst in the exterior vestibule,” Miller said.
The MCIA managed the construction and funding for the project, which cost $80 million in total.
It is still unknown what caused the pipe to burst, but Miller said it appears to have been a frozen pipe.
“We are looking to determine what the exact cause is,” Miller said. “We should have more answers this week.”
Architects and electrical engineers were called in over the weekend to evaluate the issue and to figure out how to prevent a similar issue from happening in the future, he said.
Miller said the sprinklers set off the fire alarm and the fire department responded, turning off the water after about 25 minutes. Crews were brought in to begin cleanup of the flooded areas on Saturday night and worked during the day on Sunday.
“The water was removed they began cleaning the carpet,” he said. “And dehumidifiers and blowers were brought in.”
In the records and court information office on the first floor, Miller said the decision was made to remove a foot of drywall from the floor up to make sure it dries properly. All court operations are continuing despite the damage, but some proceedings will be moved.
Miller would not say how much the damage will cost the county or who would be responsible for paying for the repairs.
“Our focus has been on remediation,” he said. “Before we get into that we need to know the exact cause.”
After officials encountered several delays in the courthouse project, the building opened on Jan. 14. The old criminal courthouse built in 1900, did not meet building code. Several judges and court officials were concerned about the old building’s structural integrity.