Oct 9, 2014 2 min read

The Plaza Building on West Beau Street in Washington closed Thursday after a water line burst overnight, Plaza Building Associates manager Darlene Bigler said.

Bigler said the water line burst on the third floor and caused damage to the floors below during the early morning hours.

The total cost of the damages had yet to be determined Thursday, Bigler said. The building’s main entrance remained soaked with water and littered with ceiling tile pieces Thursday afternoon. Bigler hoped to have the building at 150 West Beau opened today.

“We spent (Thursday) assessing the damage and getting back to business as fast as we can,” Bigler said.

Roughly 15 tenants call the Plaza Building home, including Community Action Southwest, Washington County Area Agency on Agency and doctor offices. Bigler said Community Action Southwest, a social services agency that works to end poverty in the community, uses about 60 percent of the building. Bigler said Head Start classes were canceled Thursday. CAS staff members were assigned to other locations to help with community needs.

Matt Uram, job developer for Washington County Area Agency on Aging, said the agency’s Thursday appointments were rescheduled to early next week. Uram said staff were relocated to their headquarters in Charleroi.

“It’s a very active building in our community,” Uram said. “It sustained significant damage.”

Uram said none of the agency’s equipment was damaged. They hope to be operational today. Uram said calls should be directed to the Charleroi office at 724-489-8080.

“Water is much like fire,” he said. “It can consume an area. We expect everything to be back to normal on Monday.”

Bigler called the water line break a “first-time thing.” She said each tenant must determined their damage and reopening date. Calls picked up by answering machines Thursday indicated many of the businesses will remain closed until Monday.