Residents to Discuss Damage from School Blasting Thursday Night

Over 20 homeowners that live close to the Glover School construction site are claiming their homes sustained damage due to blasting, which occurred when contractors were demolishing the old school.

Because the town and contractors are saying that residents are responsible for the damage, the group of homeowners will be meeting with the Building Committee Thursday night at 6 p.m. to discuss the issue.

Abutter to the Glover School project Kaarina Kvaavik says the group is arguing that the damages -broken ceilings, broken walls and cracked foundations - were caused by the blasting and therefore should be repaired by the town or the contractor, Maine Drilling and Blasting.

Kvaavik and the 20 or so other homeowners were among those outside of the 250 foot radius to the blast area and therefore were not able to get pre-blast surveys of their homes.

After the blasting, these homeowners, who were all living above the same strip of ledge, according to Kvaavik, noticed the damage.

When the homeowners complained to the contractors, they said they would send someone to check out the homes. However, the individuals checking the damages were employees from the blasting company.

"It’s not even an independent third party," said Kvaavik.

The homeowners were all denied any type of compensation for the damages and eventually found out they all received the same form letter. They were told that the damages could have been caused by people jumping up and down and slamming doors.

A call to Maine Drilling and Blasting was not returned as of deadline.

And she said the School Committee asked town attorneys about the issue, and the committee ultimately said that homeowners were responsible for the damage.

"Almost every room in my house has some type of damage," said Kvaavik. "It is a really, really rotten situation."

The meeting is taking place on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. with the Building Committee at the Village School.