Zandra Thomas, who owns the dance studio, said the students for two ballet camps were evacuated and then shuttled to a nearby Chipotle restarant where they waited to get picked up by their parents. Thomas said the restaurant provided free drinks to the students as they waited for their parents.
“We kept shuttling them back and forth in our cars until we couldn’t do it anymore due to the rising water,” she said. “We’ve been here for three and a half years and this has never happened before.”
Thomas said calls were made to the Lowe’s Home Improvement Store in West Chester Twp. about getting sandbags, which were picked up by parents coming to get their children. She said the sandbags were put in front of the doors to keep water from entering the building.
“I’m not sure on the damage,” she said. “Some of the carpeting and woodwork in the lobby was damaged.”
Thomas said there were trailers at the rear of the studio sitting in more than a foot of water. She believes the props and supplies in the trailers were damaged.
Tom Kieley, who owns the building where the dance studio is located, said the last time the street flooded was about four years ago.
“But it wasn’t nearly as bad as this,” he said.
INITIAL REPORT:
Today’s heavy rainfall has flooded several streets in Monroe.
Five streets were affected, according to City Manager Bill Brock. Those streets include:
- Mason Avenue
- Ohio 63/Heritage Green
- Yankee/Todhunter roads
- New Garver Road/Reed
- Bridal Creek/Backtrail
Brock said there were reports of 3 inches of rain that fell in a very short period of time and that no storm sewers are designed for that amount of rainfall.
As of 2 p.m., Brock was not aware of any particular major damage in the city.
There was also a report that 60 students and 10 teachers were stranded at the Z Company Dance Studio, 200 Senate Drive, due to the high water.
We will update this story as more information becomes available.
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