By Sean Mccarthy
Eagle Times Correspondent
CLAREMONT N.H. — Businesses and residents on Charlestown Road found themselves without water after a backhoe from St. Pierre Inc. struck an eight-inch water main in front of McGee Mazda on Thursday, October 5.
A Department of Public Works crew and the Claremont Fire Department responded.
“St. Pierre, who’s down there doing work for the Mazda Dealership, hit the eight-inch water line while they were digging,” Claremont Public Works Director Alex Gleeson said. “They called us because they had hit the water line. The city is out there trying to fix their mistake. The water line was turned off from about that point to where the Ford dealership is.”
DPW workers were seen with hoses working to secure the area and Gleeson said they cut out the damaged section of pipe and wrapped a “sleeve” around the pipe.”
The crew recharged the waterline and Gleeson said water was safe to drink once it was turned back on.
He praised the DPW crew for going above and beyond to help the contractor.
While Gleeson did not know how many residents or businesses were affected, he said as soon as the break was reported his people knocked on doors in the neighborhood to let everyone know their water was out.
Randy Miles, quartermaster and canteen operator at the Oliver Lacasse VFW Post 150 on Charlestown Road, decided to close over concerns about employees washing their hands and members being able to use the restrooms.
The manager of Dunkin Donuts, which was still open for business during the incident, declined to comment.
The McGee Mazda Dealership is being demolished and rebuilt by Construction Management & Builders, Inc. of Boston.
Calls for comment to St. Pierre Inc. and Construction Management & Builders, Inc. of Boston went unanswered.
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