Broken Water Main Leaves Norwood Hospital Without Sprinkler System for Hours-October 21, 1981

Washington Street Water Main Break Floods Area

A sudden water main break on Washington Street in front of Norwood Hospital ruptured at approximately 1 p.m. yesterday, sending torrents of water flooding across the street and adjacent areas, forcing police to reroute local traffic.

Public Works Department Superintendent Paul E. Wollenhaupt reported that roughly 18 homes in the immediate vicinity lost water service. While larger commercial buildings and businesses were unaffected because they tapped into secondary feeder systems, the break temporarily severed the primary water supply feeding the hospital’s fire protection infrastructure.

Hospital Sprinkler System Impaired as Fire Department Takes Precautions

Hospital spokeswoman Marjorie Clapprood assured the public that patient care remained completely unaffected by the incident, noting that domestic water was successfully maintained through a secondary feeder system. However, due to the complex configuration of the hospital’s plumbing, it was impossible to route water into the fire sprinklers from that alternative source, leaving the institution without an active sprinkler system for several hours.

To mitigate safety risks, Fire Chief Thomas J. Barry personally inspected the facility and prepared to pump water directly from fire trucks into the sprinkler network if an emergency arose. “We briefed our people, added an extra truck, laid extra hoses, and kept our fingers crossed,” Barry said. The hospital remained on heightened fire watch until municipal crews completed repairs.

Wollenhaupt noted that three local fire hydrants were temporarily shut off during the repairs, though alternative hydrants remained available nearby. DPW crews launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the main break. A dramatic staff photo by Jerry McCullough captured water gushing onto Washington Street directly in front of the hospital during the height of the flooding.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger