KU students were evacuated from the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center Saturday August 21, 2010, after water pipes broke spilling water into the building. Students sit outside the building shortly after exiting around 3:30 p.m.

Damage is likely after a broken sprinkler head dumped water onto the recently expanded section of Kansas University’s student recreation fitness center.

The David A. Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center, 1740 Watkins Center Drive, was shut down for several hours Saturday afternoon after the break.

Part of the rec center has since reopened, but the Oread side of the gym will remain closed for a day or two, said Jill Urkoski, the associate director of fitness and staff development.

That section includes a golf simulator, multi-use courts, wooden floor courts, racquetball courts, martial arts studio and part of the track.

Around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical received a call that large amounts of water were dumping onto the floor of the rec center.

The sprinkler head break was above the golf simulator, and there were concerns for potential water damage to the gym’s hardwood floors.

The fire department was able to shut off the water about a half an hour after the call.

As of Saturday evening, KU crews continued to clean up the water with wet vacs and large air blowers.

“We are trying to get the water off the courts as much as we can so we won’t damage them,” Urkoski.

Urkoski was unsure just how much damage had been caused by the sprinkler head break, but said it was likely some had occurred.