Sprinkler malfunction causes structural damage, flooding

Sprinkler malfunction causes structural damage, flooding

TEMPLETON — A sprinkler system valve let go at Templeton’s Municipal Light & Water building Sunday, causing minor flooding and damage.

“We don’t often have issues like this at the (building), especially not on the weekends,” said John Driscoll, the department’s general manager.

Mr. Driscoll clarified that the breach was internal and did not affect any service to the area. He also reported that the incident caused some damage along the walls and ceiling that would need to be repaired in the future.

Malfunctions are a rarity in the decade-old building, according to Mr. Driscoll, with only one other similar incident having occurred during the winter several years ago.


The department is looking into installing better insulation around the system to prevent future issues — although Mr. Driscoll said the system, as a whole, responded properly.

“It did what it was supposed to do,” he said. “It tried to put out what it thought was a fire.”

In addition to structural damage, the sprinkler also left several inches of water in the building’s basement. The Templeton Fire Department was called to the scene and aided in the removal of water with, “pumps and squeegees.”

Although Fire Chief Raymond LaPorte did not have a report on the full extent of the damage, he said his department was dispatched to numerous similar calls over the weekend, and cited the cold temperatures in the region as a primary factor.