FAIRBORN — On June 6, construction crews at the site of the new Fairborn Primary School faced one of the largest setbacks in the building so far.

Upon arrival Monday morning, crews found that two T-valves and a flange had failed, causing flooding in two wings of the new school building. Workers estimate that the flooding started Sunday night and continued into Monday morning, damaging a total of 17 classrooms.

The flooding started on the second floor and trickled down to classrooms on the first floor. The water caused damage to drywall, flooring, ceiling tiles, cabinetry, and curriculum items, according to a statement made by the school district. The flood also damaged teachers’ personal belongings.

The exact cause of the hardware failure is as yet unknown, and the situation is still under investigation. The valves had been placed on a hot water line, and had been tested at 200 psi. Both the valves and the flange had previously passed inspection, and had been functioning for two weeks, according to the district. Construction crew members and district leadership, including building principals, were on site Monday to help assess the damage and move impacted items.

Prior to this event, final preparations for the 2020-2021 school year had been running ahead of schedule. During the regular school board meeting on July 9, Director of Business Affairs Jeff Patrick reported that the district had originally budgeted six weeks to move primary school materials from the Five Points building to the new building. Fortunately, crews were able to complete that process in two weeks.

Currently, ceiling tiles and drywall are being replaced and orders are being processed for new flooring and cabinetry, according to a release made by the school district. The district is hopeful that this will not cause a delay in the fall. The school will be providing more information as soon as it becomes available on their website at Fairborn.k12.oh.us.