Members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) will not be able to live in their house for the timing being after a pipe burst in the attic over winter break. The leak was detected by one of the five or six people sleeping in the building only five hours into the new year, according to SAE president Chad Blank, who said, “Apparently everyone else was a heavy sleeper.”

The water seeped through the holes in the ceiling causing damage. However, there was not any significant structural damage due to the construction of the building, according to Blank. Demolition and inspection have begun to prevent mold from growing.

The fraternity brothers will be living in five rented townhouses and two T Lofts apartments. The students will pay their regular dues and housing, according to Blank. The cost of demolition will be covered by insurance, and the fraternity’s alumni association will be paying for the insurance deductible and offset the cost of leasing the apartments.

Jade Hepper, an SAE member, said he was told it will take around three months until they can live in their house again.

The Fargo Forum reported that a sprinkler in the women’s restroom at the Fargo Olive Garden broke, flooding the parking lot before freezing. Despite this, the Olive Garden opened at its usual time the next day.

Fargo Fire Department Battalion Chief Lee Soeth told the Fargo Forum that after pipes freeze like that, there is nothing you can do but turn the water off and call the fire department.

When it comes to preventing this kind of damage, Soeth said: “Keep (the pipes) warm … That’s the biggest thing, is making sure there is a warm area. Making sure that’s nothing changed. That’s usually what we kind of see. A new apartment complex goes up and they don’t understand you’ve got to heat where sprinklers are, and we’ll get some frozen pipes there.”