Following a fire sprinkler pipe break at the Best Western Butterfield Inn, 1010 E. 41st on June 29, the hotel will remain closed until mid-October, according to a statement made by the hotel chain this week.

“The safety and well-being of our guests continues to be our top priority, as well as their convenience and comfort,” the statement said. “As soon as the flooding incident occurred, we notified the Hays Fire Department, evacuated hotel guests and refunded expenses associated with their stay. We are actively working on restoring the damages caused to our property, and we look forward to reopening our property in mid-October of 2016.”

The line break caused a large volume of water to flow into the hotel, according to the Hays Fire Department.

“Firefighters immediately began work to stop the loss to the property and control the hazards caused by the uncontrolled flow of water. The fire sprinkler system was shut down and efforts were made to reduce the weight of the water on the upper floor to prevent collapse. Guests were evacuated and electrical power was shut down to reduce the danger. A room by room search was conducted to make sure all persons were safe and no one needed assistance. The damage extended through large areas of the building.”

An inspector with the City of Hays Planning, Inspection and Enforcement Division assisted the HFD with the call.

The HFD further said the cause of the failure was not immediately apparent, noting failures like this one are rare.