WARWICK, R.I. -- NBC 10 went inside the Warwick Mall on Monday for the first time since the historic flooding.
Managing partner Aram Garabedian led a group of reporters and elected officials through the flood-damaged shopping center.
"I never expected this type of flooding in Rhode Island," U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said. "This is an extraordinary event."
Water surrounded the mall during the height of last week's storm, submerging cars left in the parking lot. Inside, some of the stores had as much as 20 inches of water.
Most of the stores now have tarps covering their entrances.
"It's actually not too bad. It's just going to be a little bit of hard work for a week getting it back together," said John Salois, who owns a Sprint cell phone store in the mall.
He said the floor is damaged and a computer system will need to be replaced. But he said most of the inventory was above the water.
Jay Mehta, who owns a Subway sandwich shop, said he will have to throw out all of his food.
"The water went inside for up to 2 feet," Mehta said. "I'll have to redo it -- everything. A whole new store."
A representative of the Small Business Administration said business owners are eligible for low-interest loans to help them rebuild.
The carousel in the food court is protected by a giant sheet of plastic. Mall officials said it fared well in the flood.
Professional cleaning crews numbering in the hundreds are inside the mall, working night and day.
The concourse is lined with heavy-duty fans to keep the air moving.
"Time is not our friend. When you have a moist environment like this, obviously, it's conducive to other factors," said Frank Mattos, of ServPro. "That's the big challenge that we have here."
Garabedian said the cleanup crews will be followed by construction crews, plumbers and electricians. He said 3,000 workers will have a part in restoring the mall.
Garabedian told NBC 10 that he hopes the mall will reopen within weeks rather than months.
He said the stores are likely to reopen as they are ready.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement