Sprinkler Head Activation Closes County Courthouse
Rockbridge County Administrator Spencer Suter had just gotten home from a vacation to the Outer Banks Saturday afternoon when he got a phone call about a crisis at the courthouse.
A sprinkler head on the third floor had been activated and was spraying water all along the hallway. Water was seeping through the floors and ceilings, creating a huge mess in the hallways of all three floors.
The courthouse has been shut down this week as the cleanup continues. A grand jury session that was scheduled for Monday was moved to the Buena Vista courthouse. Other court sessions are being rescheduled.
The call about the activated sprinkler head came Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Crews were summoned immediately to try to figure out what exactly was happening and to begin the process of drying out the courthouse and assessing the damage.
The activated sprinkler head was on the north side of the third floor but the water reached all the way to the south side. The biggest impact is in the hallways, though a couple of desks were damaged. Fortunately, court records were unscathed and the water didn’t reach the courtrooms.
Ceiling tiles and floor linoleum in the hallways of all
, page B10 three floors were thoroughly drenched. Industrial fans and dehumidifiers were being used to dry the building out.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” said Suter Monday morning. He said it’s unknown when the courthouse will be reopened to the public, though it’s expected to be closed for at least several days.
Lexington’s building official and the fire marshal have inspected the damage. The county has been in contact with an insurance adjuster. A plan for cleaning up the damage and reopening the building is being implemented.
Office areas on the east side of the building were less impacted and staff was at work Monday fielding phone calls and rescheduling court sessions.
Noting that the records room and courtrooms were undamaged, Suter commented, “It could have been a lot worse.”
The county administrator pointed out that it can’t be said that the sprinkler head malfunctioned. “We don’t know what activated it. It may have worked exactly the way it was supposed to.”
All three courts – Rockbridge Circuit Court, Rockbridge General District Court and Rockbridge Juvenile and Domestic Relation Court – are carrying out alternative plans to conduct business. For those who have business before the courts, their staff can be reached by phone and email to answer questions regarding court schedules and alternative locations.
