Durfee High Severely Damaged By Burst Pipe, 40K Gallons Of Water

FALL RIVER, MA – A major water main break at B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River flooded the school with thousands of gallons of water, canceling classes Wednesday and Thursday. Water began spilling through the halls at about 3 a.m. Wednesday morning after a pipe in the science wing burst, according to reports. School was canceled about an hour-and-a-half later.

In total, about 40,000 gallons of water filled the school, according to a press release. This resulted in flooding of about four feet in the stairwells and 3-4 inches on the third and fourth floors, Superintendent Matthew Malone told WHDH. He said about 18 classrooms and six office spaces were damaged, and several files, lesson materials and computers were "ruined."

Fall River called off Thursday classes at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Malone attributed the break not to the cold weather, but to the building's age. Durfee High School moved to its current location at 360 Elsbree St. from the historic Rock Street building in 1978.

Speaking candidly to WHDH, Malone called the building the "worst designed high school in America."

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