By DON STINE
A water pipe break in Asbury Park’s Convention Hall (pictured above in a file photo) this past Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014 caused some damage to a few stores in the historic building’s Grand Arcade but the accident should not affect the upcoming Light of Day concert events scheduled for the Paramount Theatre beginning next weekend.
Madison Marquette spokesperson Carrie Turner said a water pipe broke on the second floor in the theatre and caused some water to leak into stores on the western side of the Grand Arcade.
“The problem was discovered during operating hours and the water was immediately turned off and clean-up efforts began. There was some water infiltration into a few stores,” she said.
Turner said everything will be up and running for the Light of Day events.
Alli Kennedy, owner of the Asbury Park Roastery coffee concession at the very northern end of the arcade, said her store did see a little damage from the burst pipe.
“A pipe burst upstairs and it rained water down on stores in the western section of the arcade,” she said
Kennedy said her shop was open at the time of the accident but that many of the other shops in the arcade were closed.
Kennedy said her store lost only some packaging materials but she feels that other stores were harder hit and may have lost some inventory. She said she is now more concerned about water being in the electrical fixtures, which would severely limit the operation of her business.
“(Madison Marquette) has blowers and heaters on,” she said.
Turner said all electric and other fixtures are being checked and will be up and running.
Kay Harris, who owns the Asbury Galleria at the very southern end of the arcade, said that her store suffered no damage.
“The water did not come down to my end of the arcade,” she said.
City Councilman John Moor, who is a retired public works employee, said that water pipes used to burst in Convention Hall back when the city owned the building.
“Some of these pipes are behind walls and you don’t know they are there. It’s Mother Nature- when it’s brutally cold the pipes can burst,” he said.
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