SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A water main break in Mira Mesa flooded a music and art studio, filling up rooms full of musical instruments and equipment.
The sound of gushing water early Saturday night led to a flood of emotions for musician Anastasya Korol.
"There is a river rushing in the back ... Shocked and really sad as it started to sink in," said Korol.
That night, city officials say water from a break in a 55-year-old, 36-inch steel pipe, flowed into the back of a building in the Via Excelencia Business Park. One of the businesses flooded was the San Diego Music and Art Cooperative, a music and art studio for independent artists. It's used for rehearsal space and classes.
Korol says among the seven pianos damaged was the piano she played as a child.
"It's upsetting to lose it ... The water goes up through the wood, warps the wood and sound board," said Korol.
Also waterlogged: dozens of other instruments, from guitars to violins, along with a long list of sound equipment, artwork and art supplies. Studio founder Mathew Rakers says the total loss is hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"It's crazy to put years and years of work into something and see it wash away in a matter of hours," said Rakers.
Rakers plans to file a claim with the city. Attorney Evan Walker, an expert in flood cases, says such cases could take anywhere from six months to two years to wrap up.
"You're dealing with a bureaucracy, and when you're dealing with litigation, things tend to get complicated," said Rakers.
He says filing with your insurance - if you do have flood insurance - is usually speedier.
A delay is something Rakers says his artists can't afford.
"I'm worried. The biggest loss if the loss of incomes. It will put a lot of people out of work," said Rakers.
A Gofundme campaign has been set up to help the studio with expenses.
If you are filing a claim, you have until six months after the flood to file. The City of San Diego says it's processed in about 45 days.
The city's Risk Management Department issued this statement: “The time frame to resolve a claim varies and is dependent on its complexity.”
