U's burst-pipe damage estimated at $1 million

Last update: February 3, 2009 - 12:54 AM

Damage is estimated at $1 million after a chilling pipe broke in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building at the University of Minnesota.

The pipe burst around 3 a.m. Friday, flooding the five floors of the building and causing Friday and Saturday classes to relocate to other buildings.

Building and Grounds employee Randy Gilliard says the northeast corner of the building had water damage, including 2 inches of water on the fourth and fifth floors and as much as an inch on the floors below.

Because the water was from the cooling system, it was filled with a variety of chemicals. But university spokesman Dan Wolter says officials determined it was safe to discard into the sewers.

The university hopes to have the building fixed in a week to 10 days. No classes were canceled.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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