Dozens displaced after drywall collapse at Prescott Valley assisted living facility: FD
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Officials with Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority say dozens of residents at a living facility in Prescott Valley were evacuated as a result of an incident involving what was described as a ‘drywall collapse.’
The incident, according to CAFMA officials, happened at Ativo Senior Living of Prescott Valley, which is located in the area of Viewpoint Drive and Long Look Drive, near the Prescott Valley Civic Center. Crews were called to the scene at around 12:30 p.m. for a reported structural collapse.
"Upon arrival, firefighters discovered that a frozen sprinkler line had led to a water leak, resulting in the collapse of drywall on the third floor and significant damage to all three floors," read a portion of the statement.
"We had a four-engine response, along with the battalion chief and other agencies including Prescott Valley Police Department," said Chief Cougan Carothers with CAFMA.
Officials with Insight Living, which is the owner and management company of the building, released the following statement on what had happened:
"Earlier today, freezing temperatures caused a water line above some of our third floor, Independent Living apartments to rupture. A handful of apartments on the third floor were directly impacted however in an abundance of caution, our team safely evacuated the building and assessed the situation with the local fire department. No residents were injured and all residents and staff have returned to the building.
Unfortunately, a number of Independent Living residents will be temporarily displaced until final fire department clearance which is anticipated on Monday. The community is fully open and normal operations have resumed as the team arranges for temporary accommodations for impacted residents.
No assisted living or memory care residents will be relocated offsite."
"Based on what we saw, it was inside rooms, inside the building and the ceiling collapsed," said Chief Carothers.
Officials say no injuries were reported.
"42 residents have been displaced, with some finding on-site shelter and others relocating to accommodations off-site," read a portion of CAFMA's statement.
Fire officials said the north side of Ativo is uninhabitable, and has been blocked off. The south side wasn't impacted. Throughout the day, water damage restoration companies were on scene cleaning up the water damage.
"They're going to have to go through a permitting process to go and rehabilitate accommodations for the residents, and that will be a normal process the Town of Prescott Valley follows for all structures that are similarly affected," said Chief Carothers.