Only on 2: Newark businesses said they warned about potential flooding and were ignored
NEWARK, N.J. - Several New Jersey businesses were forced to close after major flooding.
The business owners say they warned this would happen, and now want to know who's going to fix it.
It wasn't the Monday the owners of Madre & Son Soulfood Cafe in Newark were expecting. They were unable to open, due to flooding.
The water also rushed into the adjoining family business on Commerce Street, Ashley's Delicious Treats.
"It's horrible. There's so much damage here, it's going to take us months to straighten it all out," said Madre & Son co-owner Yolanda Burke.
Burke says she feared this would happen, after watching a pipe leak over the past few months.
"The same leak that we told the owner of the building about. The same leak they swept under the rug," Burke said.
She claims the landlord sent someone out in September, but it was never actually fixed. As it got worse, she says she contacted the realtor and building owner.
"I sent them an email which said we've spoken about this leak several times over the last couple of months and its becoming a hazard," Burke said.
"You sent this email October 25th. Have you gotten a response?" DeAngelis asked.
"I have not gotten a response," Burke said.
It's not just two businesses that were impacted. A third, which is in the process of opening, was also affected.
"There was a river of water washing over," said Kevin Taylor, director of LGBTQ services for NJCRI, a nonprofit opening a youth center in the space. "It's really disappointing for us, because we were probably a week maybe two from opening, and we're probably back a month at least getting the water out."
An employee with the parking garage above, Edison ParkFast, stopped by. She refused to speak with DeAngelis, but spoke with Burke.
"They confirmed it was the sprinkler system, and they need to change that because it had a hole in it. Not telling us what were going to do while we're out with this flood, destroying pretty much everything," Burke said.
Hoping she gets answers as to who will fix it fast, so the businesses can reopen, and get their employees back to work.
We reached out to the landlord, realtor and Edison, but have not yet heard back.
A spokesperson with the city confirmed the sprinkler system malfunctioned and will send an inspector to investigate.