Vandals Soak Missoula Gym

Thousands of gallons of water caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage in a recreational gym at the University of Montana, officials here said.

Someone broke into the Shreiber Gym in the southeast corner of the Missoula campus this weekend and opened a fire hose.

“A 2-inch fire hose,” said Bill Queen, assistant maintenance director at UM. “It ran for six hours.”

The water flooded the gym on the top floor and cascaded down , ruining the ceilings and painted walls.

He estimates replacing the ceiling and paint will cost at least $25,000, and perhaps another $10,000 to $15,000 to resurface the gym floor.

The Schreiber Gym is a recreational facility for UM students, used for 3-on-3 basketball, karate and aerobics classes and other activities.