'Catastrophic' Damage At 4 Framingham Schools After Pipes Burst

Four Framingham public schools were damaged after pipes burst, over the long weekend, as the Town went from record-breaking low temperatures to a quick thaw to 50 degree temperatures.

The schools damaged were McCarthy Elementary, King Elementary, Framingham High School, and Walsh Middle.

Framingham Patch was the first to report the news Tuesday afternoon.

As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, the district has published no information about the burst pipes or the damage on its main web site or on social media. Parents and many staff members were notified via Patch.

Framingham Public Schools Director of Buildings and Grounds Matt Torti called the situation “so widespread” and “catastrophic.” He said it is nothing he has seen in his 16 years at the district. He said the district has had pipe issues in the past, but never to this extent.

Torti said he could not place a dollar value on the damage, on Tuesday afternoon.

He said the town’s insurance company was notified. He said the district was assessing the damage, and the clean-up process had begun.

Torti said the most significant damage was at McCarthy Elementary School, and on Tuesday he was not sure if that school could re-open on Monday. This is school vacation week in Framingham.

Torti said 3 dozen buildings and grounds employees and several subcontractors were at McCarthy Elementary School on Tuesday, where they were dealing with 1-2 inches of water that flooded the “b wing,” which includes 9 classrooms on the first floor.

Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin said the Town was notified Tuesday afternoon of the damage and that the Town’s Director of Facilities Management James J. Paolini and his department was assisting the schools.

Torti told Patch Tuesday the schools all have “alarm systems” and that the “schools are monitored for temperatures.”

He said what happened over the long holiday weekend, that started school vacation week, was due to the “large temperature fluctuations.”

The damage began in pipes in “outside walls” and in one case in a “frost-free pipe,” explained Torti.

McCarthy Elementary

Torti said a pipe in an outside wall at McCarthy Elementary burst in the B-wing, damaging nine classrooms, a hallway and the teacher’s lounge area.

He said the burst pipe left 1-2 inches of water in the wing, soaking the sheetrock, the carpet, the bookcases, the doors, the furniture, etc.

Torti said they need to access the damage and then begin the cleanup.

He said no computers were damaged.

King Elementary

The next serious situation is at King, said Torti, who explained that a thin tube radiation heat pipe froze and then burst in room 112 at the school.

Damage at King was in the former Parent Information Center area of the building, in the entrance lobby and the lobby downstairs, said Torti.

Torti said water flooding the offices on the main level drained below into the school’s cafeteria area.

And, there may be possible damage to the elevator pit, said Torti.

All the furnishings in the former Parent Information area were damaged, said Torti, as well as the carpet.

Torti said the school should re-open on Monday, but that the kitchen may not be available. He said it will need to pass a Board of Health inspection, as there was damage to that area. Worst case the school could re-open on Monday, but meals would need to be trucked in from another location, explained Torti.

Framingham High School

Framingham High School has water damaged issues in the H wing, where the arts and music departments are located. The auditorium was not damaged, said Torti.

A pipe in the ceiling in that wing burst, said Torti. Damage was in the music room, room H114, and in the director’s office, said Torti.

In room H114, all the computers and keyboards were damaged said Torti. The carpets were soaked and the director’s office was damaged, said Torti.

Walsh Middle School

A “frost-free” pipe burst in the guidance department, said Torti, who said that pipe should not have been susceptible to the temperature changes.

In the guidance area, a computer, a phone, a desk, bookcases, and files were all damaged, said Torti.