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Posted on Thu, Jun 6, 2013 : 12:51 p.m.

Ypsilanti's Estabrook Elementary evacuated after water line breaks in building

By Danielle Arndt

Students at Estabrook Elementary School were evacuated from the building Thursday morning, after a heating and cooling issue caused a water line to break.

estabrook-elem.JPG

Estabrook Elementary School

From Arborwiki.org

Officials with the Ypsilanti Fire Department said an air chiller motor in the school's air conditioning system overheated, causing the water line to burst. Firefighters said water was flowing out from the inside of the air-conditioning unit.

School officials said the district's maintenance crew is cleaning up from the water mess.

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m., and the majority of students were given the "all clear" to return to the school safely around 11:30 a.m.

School officials said during the evacuation, staff walked the elementary students around the corner and down the street to Ypsilanti Middle School, which had a half-day Thursday.

Fourth- and fifth-grade students had to remain at the middle school through their lunch period so staff could clean their wing of the elementary, which saw the most water as it was where the heating and cooling issue occurred, school officials said.

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

Comments

ProudPublicSchoolTeacher

Fri, Jun 7, 2013 : 1:12 p.m.

I was impressed by how efficient the entire process was. Thumbs up to Karla Graessley, Joel Grambau, and others who helped to make the evacuation and return so smooth and quick.

Babs73

Fri, Jun 7, 2013 : 12:31 p.m.

Glad the kittens didn't get wet!

Themadcatter

Thu, Jun 6, 2013 : 6:29 p.m.

There is no street between Estabrook and the Middle School.

ProudPublicSchoolTeacher

Fri, Jun 7, 2013 : 1:11 p.m.

There's a path that connects the schools. We walked on that.

Danielle Arndt

Thu, Jun 6, 2013 : 6:47 p.m.

Thanks, I've changed the wording.