 |
|
COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
|
| Burneace Wilson explains the extent of flood damage to her Oak Arbor Villas property. Workers from an emergency water damage company have been working to repair the Oak Arbor Villas homes, where In 2003, similar flooding occurred. |
Metrolink drain blamed on flooding
Residents at the Oak Arbor Villas on Wayland Court got a surprise late Friday night as water flooded their properties due to the torrential rains pouring down on Claremont.
The rain water caused severe damage to 3 neighboring condos, located just south of the Metrolink line, and flooded the garages of 3 others.
The residents point the finger at a storm drain located on Metrolink’s right of way, which was blocked up with debris and litter. As more and more water accumulated around the clogged storm drain, a 5-foot deep puddle formed and eventually created a river flowing directly toward the nearby condos.
“It just started seeping in from the walls,” said Mike Dowdle, who was at home watching a movie at the time. “Then I looked out at the backyard because I heard some noise, and I saw my garbage can sail by as if it were floating down a river.”
The property owners responded quickly. The water was swept out through their front doors and other neighbors joined in to help clear the water and remove furniture.
“Everybody worked together,” said Burneace Wilson, a resident whose home was flooded with two feet of water. “It was a real community effort.”
The residents argued that Metrolink is responsible for maintaining the storm drain and keeping it clear of debris. When they contacted Metrolink about the situation, cleanup crews arrived to remove any blockage from the drain and monitored the station until 5:30 the following morning, said Denise Tyrell, a Metrolink spokesperson. (story continues below)
 |
|
COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
|
| Oak Arbor Villas resident Mike Dowdle, left, speaks to Tim Erwin of Enviro-Techs E.C.S. next to the Metrolink railway, behind Mr. Dowdle’s property in Claremont. Residents of Oak Arbor Villas say Metrolink did not properly maintain a storm drain near the properties. |
She said that Metrolink crews checked all the drains along its tracks the previous week in anticipation of the upcoming storm, but that large amounts of flowing water will naturally pick up brush and debris as it moves.
“We are going to take care of them,” said Ms. Tyrell about the homeowners and the property damage that the flooding caused. “We want to be good neighbors first and foremost, but we have to also address the problem and find a long-term solution so that this doesn’t happen again.”
A similar flooding occurred back in 2003 when a construction company sealed off the drain while working around the rail tracks. An equally heavy downpour caused flooding on the same properties, and residents fear that it will happen again unless some landscaping changes are made.
Ms. Tyrall said that Metrolink “was not the sole source” of the problem and has planned a meeting with Claremont city staff to discuss how to resolve the problem.
City Engineer Craig Bradshaw said that the city holds no responsibility over issues involving the Metrolink right of way and that the city is barred from doing any type of maintenance work there. A city engineer did tour the site earlier in the week to assess the damage and survey the problem area.
Meanwhile, cleanup crews continued to repair the damaged homes throughout the week. The walls were cut out one foot high to avoid any mold growth, carpets and wood flooring were removed and large fans were running to dry out the remaining moisture.
“We just need to get this fixed somehow so that it doesn’t keep happening every time it rains,” said Bill Fellows, whose condo sustained the brunt of the flooding and damage.
