In the midst of several days of an ice-covered Franklin County, Phil Campbell High School has been affected by water damage.

The Phil Campbell Police Department reported in a Facebook post Thursday the school sprinkler system had “busted and flooded the entire downstairs portion of the school.” Alarms could not immediately be turned off because of damage to the system. ServePro will handle the cleanup.

“By the time I got there, it was 45 minutes or an hour after,” explained PC police department’s Officer Brian Vickery. “At that point, there was no real emergency as far as a police matter was concerned. We had some vehicles that were off the road, and I had been out working on that at the time.”

PCHS principal Bart Moss said he was notified there was a “flooding situation” around 11 a.m. on Jan. 18 when Eddie Marbutt, one of the school’s custodians who had been checking on the school every morning, contacted him.

“We think the sprinkler system above the concession stand busted and flooded the concession stand first,” Moss explained. “It then seeped under the door and progressively flooded the gym lobby, gym, part of the band room and library.”

Moss said the “vast majority” of the school – where classrooms are located – was unaffected, adding the band instruments and library books are undamaged, noting the band instruments have since been moved.

“The concession stand took the brunt of the damage with a collapsed ceiling,” he added. “It was enough water that it picked up a refrigerator and moved it.”

Moss cited the “immediate concern” being the gym floor.

“We hope the water didn’t get underneath the floor too much, but it appears it may have. That could lead to serious damage to the floor and possibly affect the remainder of our home games. We just don’t know yet. We appreciate ServePro making an emergency call. The guys had to navigate their way from Jasper, and I know it wasn’t easy.” 

Franklin County Schools superintendent Greg Hamilton said repairs will begin today.

“Fortunately, the alarm notified us, and we were able to shut the main waterline off quickly at  PCHS,” Hamilton explained, “or it could have been much worse. “School officials, as well as community members, worked expeditiously to get the surface water up. It appears to be sprinkler system related. There is extensive damage. ServPro was on site yesterday to make an assessment, and emergency repairs will begin today.”