Flooding Closes Derby High School

Derby High School was closed Monday because of ​“severe” flooding, according to messages from principal Greg Galliard.

Rain water entered the building through a section of a recently-installed roof.

The high school had a new roof installed over the summer, one of three school buildings in the district to receive new roofs.

That installation is still finishing up.

Below are Tweets from the principal and Jim Gildea, a member of the Derby Board of Education:

Urgent! Due to severe flooding inside Derby High School, DHS ONLY IS CLOSED TODAY, Monday November 24.ValleyIndy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nhrvalley">nhrvalley

— Derby High School (@DerbyRedRaider) November 24, 2014

Pictures from this morning flooding issue. Issue was with flashing from cafe roof to flat roof. All will be fine. pic.twitter.com/yinkRCSLew

— Jim Gildea (@jgildeaderbyboe) November 24, 2014

In a post on Facebook, Rob Hyder, a member of the Derby school roof building committee, said the roof began leaking over the cafeteria in the high school during Monday’s heavy rain.

The school roof building committee was formed by the city to oversee the $5 million, three-school roof project.

Hyder said the ​“concentrated” leak was in an area where the roof company had yet to finish installing flashing, a material that helps to seal roofs.

Hyder indicated the severity of the leak was being blown out of proportion.

“There was water on the floor, and on the floor only. None of the kitchen appliances were wet and there was no water on any of the counter tops. The water was cleaned up before 7:30 a.m. this morning,” Hyder said.

“Should school have been cancelled today? Probably not, but you can make a case that because the leak was in the cafeteria, the school should have been closed for health reasons,” Hyder said.