TOPSHAM

A broken sprinkler head on the top floor flooded a threestory Bridge Street apartment building Friday night, making the dwelling uninhabitable for the four families who reside there.

The Red Cross provided temporary lodging for the displaced families.

Topsham Fire Chief Brian Stockdale said the department was called to 13 Bridge Street at 9:23 p.m. Friday. It is still unknown how the sprinkler head, which was in the common area on the third floor, broke and caused a high volume of water to flood the building to the point water was coming out of the electrical sockets, but Stockdale said he believes it may have been a malfunction. The sprinkler company to try to determine what happened.

When the 11 volunteer firefighters arrived, all members of the four families were outside the building, Stockdale said.

Firefighters then shut off the water main, shut off electricity to the building, checked on the boilers and made sure all the utilities were disconnected. They also tried to salvage as much of the tenants’ property as possible, placing tarps over belongings the residents couldn’t take with them.

Stockdale said an electrician will have to inspect the property and deem it safe before the building can be inhabited again.

According to a press release issued Sunday by the Mid Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross, Red Cross volunteers Linda Blanton and Minnie Vazquez responded to the scene of the flooded multi-family building Friday to help the residents — including seven adults and eight children — who have been unable to return to their apartments since Friday.