PHOENIX — It was a wild start to the week for families of one Phoenix elementary school.
Classes were canceled Monday as water poured into rooms and caused extensive damage inside Herrera School for the Arts and Dual Language.
The school is located near 7th Street and Buckeye Road.
ABC15 observed crews working around the clock to drain extensive flooding throughout the school after a pipe burst over the weekend.
"There's a lot of water," said third grader Cassidy Pike.
When Pike and her brother walked into school Monday, they quickly noticed something was off. "School was canceled," she said.
Luzdelia Caballero: "How did you feel about that?" "Not good," responded Pike.
She says she wasn't feeling good at all, because she loves going to class there, but understands why classes were called off.
"The pipe, it was bursted. It was right by the kindergarten's. There was a whole flood like where they play," Pike told ABC15.
Her mom, Krystle Mendez says her kids walked to school, given it's only two blocks away.
Mendez adds she was getting ready to head to work when her phone started buzzing.
"We get a notification later saying, oh the kids can stay here until someone can come and pick them up right on time," said Mendez.
The school offered breakfast, lunch, and childcare in its performing arts center (PAC). It’s something Mendez says is a huge help, adding she’s lucky her teens take online classes and are able to watch their younger siblings.
"I'm thankful I have them, but for parents that don't, it interrupts them a while because it's more money coming out of their pocket if they have to find a daycare," Pike’s mom told ABC15.
A worker helping with repairs at the school told ABC15 there may have been an issue with the sprinkler system, but school officials have not commented on that.
Though, they have told parents an emergency response team is working to clean up the mess and assess the damage.
Officials tell ABC15 instruction at Silvestre Herrera Elementary is expected to start on August 17.
Letter shared with parents on the change in start date:
