Heating issues, flooding to keep Cumberland school closed through Wednesday

CUMBERLAND — Due to flooding caused by a mechanical heating issue, B.F. Norton Elementary School was closed on Monday, and it will remain closed today and on Wednesday.

Superintendent Robert Mitchell said the issue came from a pipe in one of the uni-vents in a classroom on the second floor, which he believes was caused by the unusually cold weather over the weekend.

“We apologize for any inconvenience that this has caused. Our team is working as quickly as possible to resolve this issue,” he wrote in an email to families. “An update will be sent on Wednesday afternoon with more information about classes for the remainder of

the week.”

The goal, Mitchell said, is to reopen the school on Thursday.

Multiple ceiling tiles came crashing down, and Mitchell said a lot of the damage was to educational supplies, including technology. The superintendent said it appears to mostly be water damage.

A similar issue occurred at John J. McLaughlin Cumberland Hill School over the weekend but it only affected one classroom. Therefore, Mitchell said, the school was able to make accommodations and stay open.

He added that at Cumberland High School, a leak in a classroom above the auditorium damaged the auditorium ceiling.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dennen/Cumberland School Committee Broken, waterlogged ceiling tiles litter the desks and floor of a classroom at B.F. Norton Elementary.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dennen/Cumberland School Committee Severe water damage can be seen in a hallway at B.F. Norton Elementary, as crews clean up on Monday.