The Damariscotta Hannaford store reopened for business as usual Feb. 4 after a problem with the roof prompted the store’s sudden closure at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
According to Hannaford spokesman Mike Norton, workers braced roof joists in the area of the dairy coolers after employees shoveling the roof discovered water leaking through the roof surface on Tuesday.
Nobody was hurt and no products were affected by the leak, but Hannaford officials acted proactively to assure the public’s safety, Norton said. The individuals performed the repairs under the advice of a structural engineer and worked well into the night, Norton said.
“The store opened up at 7 a.m. which is the regular time,” Norton said. “You will see a lot of supports and braces up in the area where the problem was, near the dairy cases.”
For the time being, foot traffic will have to be rerouted around the affected area, Norton said. It is possible the cooler may be relocated during the repair period so customers can easily and safely access dairy products while repairs are made.
“It could be a lot like a remodel of a store where you have to reroute people a little,” Norton said. “It might be a little more challenging. Even while repairing it, we will make it more convenient.”
For the moment, the exact cause of the problem remains unknown. It is also unknown if the source of the problem relates to the new section of Hannaford added during a remodeling expansion in 2006.
Norton said the investigation continues, adding he expects to have more information in the next 48 hours.
“Definitely some joists were affected,” Norton said. “You can’t just say it was snow load…. The joists run between major support beams. What we are seeing is that some of these joists have bends in them, which means they are not doing what they are supposed to do. The braces (now) are helping carry the load.”