1:30 p.m. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Elevators that carry dozens of workers daily between the Kansas Statehouse and its underground parking garage have been knocked out of service by a Christmas Eve sprinkler leak.
Statehouse Architect Barry Greis (grys) said Thursday that water damaged the electronic systems for the two elevators. He isn’t certain when they’ll be working again.
The leak complicated efforts to finish a 13-year, nearly $330 million renovation of the Statehouse. Workers are trying to complete a new basement visitor’s center by next week.
The leaking sprinkler was near a security station at the front of the center and left a quarter inch of water throughout much of it before firefighters arrived Tuesday evening.
Greis said the water caused at least $20,000 in damage, but the estimate doesn’t include damage to the elevators.
5:20 a.m. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in Topeka say a sprinkler malfunction at the Statehouse caused an estimated $100,000 in damage.
Firefighters were called to the Statehouse at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Fire Department Battalion Chief Ron Hufford says damage to the sprinkler system caused heavy leaking from pipes near a ground-floor entryway on the building’s north side.
Firefighters spent a couple of hours removing the water. The cause of the malfunction was under investigation.