WBCSD declares emergency, preps for new boiler

PRIEST RIVER — A flaw discovered in Priest River Elementary School’s boiler prompted West Bonner County School District board members to vote to replace the unit at an emergency meeting Friday afternoon. 

The defect was found by a technician during a routine cleaning Sept. 26. According to a report to trustees from Ryan Carruth, district operations director, flames were escaping from a gap near the return line when the boiler was turned on.

A temporary repair was made Oct. 7, but the repair company issued a single-day warranty for the unit and refused to take liability if it was turned on. 

Trustees present for the Oct. 11 emergency meeting voted to immediately discontinue use of the boiler and to declare an emergency. The district will rent a temporary boiler for 4–6 weeks until a new redundant boiler system is installed, according to Superintendent Kim Spacek. 

Spacek said he wholeheartedly supported the trustees’ decision, and estimated the rental will cost the district $10,000–15,000 and the replacement unit will total $110,000–120,000. 

The existing Bryan Flex Tube boiler at Priest River Elementary was installed in 1999, and suffered an explosion Dec. 20, 2006, according to Carruth’s report. Carruth told trustees a steel beam was installed and used to rebuild the boiler, and that repair likely compromised the structural integrity of the unit and caused it to warp over time. 

District officials landed on a new Lochinvar system to replace the flawed boiler, citing exceptional durability and compatibility with future HVAC improvements in the school. 

Priest River Elementary is not expected to close or experience any interruptions at this time, according to Spacek. The district expects to release a newsletter with information about the replacement plan Oct. 15.