Rosemont Baptist Church says it will hold regular services on Sunday
UPDATED 10 PM JULY 18, 2022
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A water main break early Monday morning flooded many homes in the Rosemont Garden neighborhood off Clays Mill Road and Lane Allen. It has also impacted Rosemont Baptist Church, which has canceled its Monday evening services for this week and next due to water damage.
Barbara West has been a member of the Rosemont Baptist Church since 1976 and is now President of the property. She had a rude awakening on Monday morning when firefighters called to say the church’s alarm system was going off. West says water from the water main flooded the basement of the church, shorting out the electrical system.
“The fire department came first thinking it was the fire alarm and that’s when there was water,” West says. “The water is deeper than the steps and was coming out of the church doors.”
Rosemont Baptist is trying to stay positive through it all, saying it was “just stuff” that was ruined by the water and luckily no one was hurt. But the price of all the damage? West says she doesn’t know for sure, but would guess a few million dollars.
“Our new kitchen that we had just renovated recently, all of our Sunday school rooms that were over there, our boiler system is over there, all of our electrical system is over there, of course you have chairs and all that Sunday school departments and all that floating stuff,” West says. “Walking up the stairs, it’s kind of funny to see couches floating down the halls.”
Rosemont Baptist also has a Boy Scout and Cub Scout House behind that was damaged by the water main break. The coordinator says a pump was helping to hold the flood waters down until the power was cut off by KU.
“We had about 8 inches of water, lots of wet gear, throwing maybe some food we needed to launch anyway. But as far as anything that was really lost, we were very lucky,” says Guy Weinberger, the charter organization’s representative.
The church says it will continue with Sunday services since the sanctuary is OK. Rosemont Baptist says that at times like these, it’s important to remember that it’s not the building but the people that make a church.
Kentucky American Water has issued the following update regarding the water main break:
“Kentucky American Water takes final steps in process to repair Rosemont Garden water main that broke early [Monday] Morning. Water service has been restored for those affected.
The company will continue final steps to extract water from affected areas and plans to conduct additional restoration efforts. [Tuesday].”
Rosemont Baptist says until the insurance company is able to review the damage, they don’t know what support is needed. You can check the church’s Facebook page for updates at the link HERE.
ORIGINAL STORY
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Residents of Rosemont Garden, just off Clays Mill Road, are recovering after a major water main break early Monday morning.
Homeowner Tiffany Hoover expressed a lot of understandable frustration and sadness that her home is now badly damaged due to the burst water main.
“My things. My neighbour’s things. We knew once the water got to the basement, there would be a lot of water. And it’s still dripping through the walls. Everything in there is just ‘a loss,’ Hoover said.
According to the Lexington Fire Department, crews arrived at the scene around 5 a.m. Fire officials said when crews arrived on the scene the problem was much bigger than they thought, damaging a total of three properties, including Hoover’s home.
“I just woke up out of the blue and the fire department was out front. And I could hear the water running in the house and running in the basement. You could hear the water pipe breaking and going up into the sky,” Hoover said.
She says her basement and outbuilding are both total losses and she is now worried about the foundations of the house. Distraught, Hoover says the house has been in the family for generations.
“My grandfather built it in the 1930s, so it’s always been our family home,” Hoover said.
She says she and her neighbors are frustrated, saying they wish utilities and water companies had responded to the problem more quickly.
For now, she is talking with her insurance agency and recovering what she can.
“Our photos are lost. Everything in the basement is just a waste. It’s just…floating,” Hoover said.
ABC 36 contacted Kentucky American Water for a statement about what happened.
According to Kentucky American Water, crews will continue to assess the 16-inch waterline rupture:
“Crews and contractors from Kentucky American Water remain on site at Rosemont Garden off Clays Mill Road to continue water extraction and then begin the water main repair process, which is expected to begin in the next hour.
A customer is currently without water service.
The main rupture is due to natural causes.