Stonington police station damaged by overflowing toilets

Stonington — A section of the police station was damaged early this morning after toilets on the second floor began overflowing when water was turned back on following a water main repair on Route 1.

Ceiling tiles and walls on the first floor and basement as well as in locker room and cell block were damaged. A printer may also have sustained damage.

Police, an electrician, the Pawcatuck Fire Department and the town’s insurance company have all been assessing the damage this morning while ServiceMaster has been brought in to clean up the mess.

"We’re going to try and get this cleaned up pretty quickly, " Police Chief J. Darren Stewart said this afternoon.

The repair of a cracked main near Rutman’s Furniture on Route 1 took place between 9 p.m. Monday and 3 this morning and had been announced by police through its e-mail alert and reverse 911 systems.

Stewart said that because no one was on the second floor, where administrative and detectives office are located, at that time, the problem was not immediately detected. An officer walking into the cell block area discovered the water about 3:30 a.m.

Stewart said four cells were not damaged and can be used while the others are being repaired. He said no monetary estimate of the damage is available yet.