Staff from ABM work to clean up the water from the leaking pipe Wednesday evening. Photo by Matthew Schmitz.
Update 9:54 a.m. 2-8-2024: The UAA Kaladi Brothers Cafe is open following flooding Wednesday evening from a busted water pipe.
The cap of an unused water pipe popped off Wednesday evening, leaking water all over the floor of the Kaladi Brothers Cafe located in the Social Science Building.
Water spread into the seating area of the cafe, soaking part of the carpet.
UPD officer Amy Mengay responded to the scene after the police department became aware of the incident.
Staff from UAA’s contracted custodial services, ABM, soon arrived to help address the problem. UPD also called for assistance from UAA’s maintenance department.
The kitchen area of the cafe was locked behind a metal roll down security fence and the lights were off, but the sound of flowing water could be heard.
Eric Kissinger, a technician with UAA maintenance, arrived and helped open the fence.
Kissinger shut off water to the leaking pipe — located under the counter along the back wall of the cafe — and then worked to plug it.
In an interview with The Northern Light, Kissinger said that the pipe was unused and had been capped with a 1/2 inch copper plug, which had popped off.
Kissinger was able to recap the pipe with a new plug to stop the leaking.
He said much of the water was able to drain out through the floor drains in the cafe, preventing more widespread flooding in the area.
The staff from ABM worked to clean up the water through the evening.
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