The Lincoln Theater is open again after water damage due to a malfunctioning sprinkler system forced it to close for the weekend of Aug. 3-5.
Lincoln Theater Executive Director Andrew Fenniman said the sprinkler in the men’s room turned on at about 1:30 a.m. Aug. 3.
The water soaked through the floor of the upstairs restroom, damaging the ceiling and rugs below, as well as some electrical components.
A speedy response by emergency personnel and building staff mitigated the problem.
The Damariscotta Fire Dept. and the Damariscotta Police Dept. responded to the theater.
“Everyone’s been great,” Fenniman said. “They’ve really been amazing.”
The volunteer firefighters cleared the scene and returned to their homes, only to receive a second call when the water caused a short-out in an electrical panel.
Despite the inconvenience of two calls in the wee hours, “They couldn’t have been more pleasant,” Fenniman said.
By 4:30 a.m., a clean-up crew had started work. The theater closed for the weekend while the crew dried out the affected area. Further repairs will take place in the coming weeks.
Fenniman expects the theater’s insurance company to pick up the tab for all repairs.
The theater, in historic Lincoln Hall, renovated the restrooms and the lobby below in recent years as part of ongoing renovations and improvements throughout the theater.
