x
Breaking News
More () »

Residents remain displaced after flooding in East Village condo complex

Residents of an East Village high-rise are on standby after a broken pipe flooded the building. Hundreds of people were forced out of their homes and now they're being told to wait before they can ...

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — Residents of an East Village high-rise are on standby after a broken pipe flooded the building. Hundreds of people were forced out of their homes and now they're being told to wait before they can go back in.

The residents of the 14-story Diamond Terrace Condominiums located in the 400 block of Ninth Avenue were forced to leave after a pipe leading to the building’s water heater burst shortly before 5 a.m. on Sunday.

Cleaning crews were in and out all morning long on Monday working on 50 of the building's 101 units that were damaged. People living in units that were not affected could return as soon as later Monday when the water and power is restored.

"I heard the sound of running water; didn't know what it was,” said resident Andrew Newman. “Looked all over and then I noticed water was coming through the ceiling."

Other residents had similar experiences with water coming in to their condos from the ceilings.

Someone from the maintenance crew told News 8 while some units had one to two inches of water inside, the damage is minimal.

Though someone who manages one of the units had a different take after visiting the building on Monday.

"It’s wet, the carpet is ripped up, all of the padding is ripped up,” said property manager April Steingrebe. “They're gonna have to replace drywall. [The] upper floors got the worst."

Bob Summers owns two units in the building. Fortunately the one he lives in is fine and he's staying in a nearby hotel until he is able to move back in - most likely within the next day. His tenant's unit, however, is flooded and he says his tenant won't likely be returning. 

"I think my tenant is moving out," said Summers. "I've released him from the contract and he's gonna move out early." 

A 7/11 and a mortgage company at the base of the building also remained closed Monday because they were without power.

Those living in the most damaged units have mostly have found other places to stay though it could be at least a month until they can return.

As for how the situation is being handled, most people who spoke with News 8 were generally pleased. In terms of who pays for what, since each condo is individually owned, it's being handled on a case-by-case basis. 

RELATED COVERAGE

Before You Leave, Check This Out