LOWELL, MASS. (WHDH) - A water pipe burst at the Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell Monday, making a big mess and causing serious damage.
Lowell City Manager Kevin Murphy said the pipe broke sometime after the library closed on Saturday, when temperatures dropped below zero. Murphy estimated about 5,000 gallons of water poured into the library from the broken pipe.
Librarians were hard at work on Tuesday, moving books and other media and assessing the damage. Some of the books date back to the 19th century and are irreplaceable. The library will remain closed until they can determine when it can reopen.
“There are a lot of people who actually rely on the computers, who don’t have computers or internet at home. I think of them most,” said reference librarian Pam Colt.
Experts are being brought in to try and restore some of the books and other items that were damaged.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)