By W. Zachary Malinowski
CENTRAL FALLS -- A water pipe in the city council chambers burst on Sunday and has caused extensive damage to the first and second floors of City Hall.
Gayle A. Corrigan, chief of staff to receiver John F. McJennett III, said that city employees arrived about 8 a.m. on Monday and found two inches of still water in the first-floor Finance Department. She said that computers and electrical wires were smoking.
The Central Falls Fire Department and National Grid had to respond to turn off the electricity and make sure the building was not in danger of catching fire. Corrigan said that computers, copy machine and financial documents were damaged.
City Hall is expected to be shut down until at least Wednesday.