A Nov. 17 Gabel Hall pool leak, which flooded several rooms, caused an estimated $30,000 in damage, according to one NIU official.

The Building Maintenance Department is still investigating how the accident happened, but some maintenance workers suspect a cracked light fixture in the end of the pool caused three feet of water to end up in the nearby Learning Center.

Difficulty emptying pools sometimes can make inspections of every electrical detail harder, said Robert Albanese, NIU associate vice president of Finance & Facilities.

The Building Maintenance Department has not finished repairing all the damages caused by the leak, said Mike Saari, assistant director of building maintenance.

NIU has spent $6,000 to $8,000 to pay janitors to clean up the mess, Albanese said.

The money to cover the bill will come from insurance and the other part from funds for emergencies.

The leak has not caused any major damages besides wet carpet and the relocation of activities in the area, Saari said.

Some employees are still not working in the same location, such as Terri Slone, departmental secretary for the Learning Center, who first noticed the leak.

By the end of the month, activities are expected to return to normal, Saari said.

The pool is closed for the rest of the year, Albanese said.

NIU employees dried the carpets in the basement by the end of that week, Saari said.

Other pools in the university are going to be inspected as well, Albanese said. The Gabel Hall pool was constructed in the late ’50s.