Six-month fix for flooded DJ’s site

IT WILL be at least six months before a Hobart car dealership returns to its Brisbane St site after a burst water main resulted in two to three million litres of water being dumped into the business.

DJ Motors executive director James Johns is still counting the costs from the water inundating his showroom, offices and basement on Thursday last week.

TasWater department manager for urban networks Neal Synott said two to three megalitres — the equivalent of one to two Olympic-sized swimming pools — was lost when a 150mm cast iron part broke apart.

While Mr Johns’ new vehicle stock was not damaged and staff moved customers’ cars to safety, his parts distribution warehouse and a computer server room took the brunt of the damage.

Engineers and an assessor have visited the dealership but Mr Johns said it would be some time before the extent of the damage was realised.

“Everyone is holding their breath at the moment,” he said.

“There are still some concerns with the structural integrity of the building.

“We have some concern about clearing out the parts debris because we have about 200 airbags down there that are all explosive.”

Mr Johns said the company won’t return to the site for at least six to nine months.

“The best case scenario is that it will be a full dealership refit for the ground floor and the subterranean basement. Worst case scenario is a new building,” he said.

Mr Johns said he would operate from temporary sites as he tries to secure a “permanent temporary” site until the business could return to its base.

“Essentially we are securing leases for a temporary parts distribution warehouse and identifying temporary vehicle display sites for Mitsubishi and Kia as we secure long-term buildings for them,” he said.

Mr Johns said he was proud of his 115-strong staff who had shown remarkable resilience since the incident.

“In less than two business days we went from total catastrophe to 60 per cent operational,” he said. “They have shown a lot of resilience under the circumstances.”

Mr Johns said staff had been distributed to the dealership’s other sites across the city.