Killer Flood: The Day the Dam Broke

(water dripping)

(tense music continues)

Today's rainfall anywhere from

one to three inches.

For Rutland and surrounding areas

continued unseasonably high temperatures and winter's

record setting snow pack are contributing to significant

melting.

The Department of Parks and Recreation predicts local lakes

and rivers will reach peak levels well before the

Memorial Day weekend.

They urge the public to exercise caution in the vicinity

of active waterways.

Over the next five days.

Good thing we built this place or we'd all be swimming

to work.

My guess is the water and the reservoir's going to

climb 32% in the next 48 hours.

We're going to hit the 300 mark.

Never happen.

Bet you a pair of tickets to tomorrow night's game.

I bet you season seats, you're dreaming.

We got a gusher in the pump room.

I'm there now.

How bad? - We can handle it.

Put the kid on.

Go for Garth.

Okay, Einstein, you want to work on my dam?

You better make sure you know the rules.

Bring them on.

Number one, no matter what happens,

keep your thumb in the hole.

Do you read me?

Sorry, Bruce, won't happen again.

Better not.

Hey, start mixing this cement, my brother, we got work to.

Bruce.

Bruce!

(water rushing)

Hang on, Bruce, we're here!

What happened?

I don't know.

The roof fell in right when she breached.

Help me under here!

On three; one, two.

It's getting worse.

That wall's going to go!

Shut up, we can get the wench!

Look!

This sector's going to flood,

then the whole dam will give way,

unless you guys seal off the compartment.

Don't talk like that.

Grab that pipe.

Where is it?

Wedge it under here.

Frank, there isn't time.

You know it.

Seal it off.

(water rushing)

No! No, Bruce!

Bruce! - Get him out of here!

Get him out!

Don't you see? We're all going to die in here.

(water rushing)

Ladies and gentlemen, please, let's settle.

On behalf of the entire city council, I would like to

convey our deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones

of Waterworks engineer, Bruce Watkins,

who gave his life yesterday in the line of duty.

He was a hero,

he was a good friend

and he will be missed.

If you live in Rutland, Vermont, then the Rankin Dam

is a part of your life.

We called this hearing today so that we can find out

what went wrong up there yesterday so that a tragedy

like this will never happen again.

I would like to introduce Diane Perlis, who is the

Chief Inspector with the Division of Safety of Dams

in Washington DC.

Diane.

Without a proper inspection, it's difficult for us to

establish an exact cause right away.

Having said that, we're relatively sure that it wasn't

caused by naturally occurring seismic event.

The bedrock embankments around the dam are still in pretty

good shape.

Is there a representative from Walker Enterprises here?

I'm Matt Walker.

President of Walker Enterprises.

According to my notes, your firm built the dam,

which was completed two summers ago.

Is that correct?

We were the main contractor, but the design work was done

by an outside architect who also coordinated construction.

A man named David Arthur Powell.

However, 18 months into the project, he was fired due to

cost overruns.

DSD oversaw construction, we know all this.

As I recall, there were many reasons why the project

went over budget, it wasn't just David.

Well, basically he just wanted to get famous for building

the greatest dam of all time.

That's not true.

And he went way behind schedule.

People, please, what does this have to do

with the accident?

Well, afterwards, after he had departed,

we began to realize that Mr. Powell's designs were

basically lacking.

See, the structure was over designed and under engineered.

A Titanic waiting to happen.

Stress ratios were subpar.

Reinforcement weren't up to code.

Well, he even wanted to use the wrong cement.

Tell me something, Mr. Walker,

if there were so many flaws in the blueprints,

how did the dam ever pass inspection?

My people took three years to overhaul Powell's designs.

Thanks to my engineers, that dam is structurally safe.

If it wasn't for them,

the building we're in would be underwater right now.

Excuse me. We're trying to have a meeting here.

If you're going to throw a party in my honor,

the least you can do is invite me.

I'm David Powell.

The architect.

He should not be part of this meeting.

Ms. Perlis, in my opinion, the reservoir needs to be

drained and a full inspection done on the dam.

The earliest we can do that is next month.

Why not now?

Because the city of Rutland just sold a futures contract

for all the electricity that dam can generate over the next

five years.

And we've already been paid for that commitment.

Now the dam is running at full capacity,

we shut it down now and we will bankrupt this city.

Still, the pressure on the backside of the dam is immense,

the heaviest snow pack in 25 years is melted and all that

water is pressing against the dam.

Look, the bottom line is that dam failed yesterday,

and we need to find out why.

It did not fail, it suffered a minor breach,

probably due to operator error.

It is completely reparable.

Are you two finished?

Mr. Walker, I'm going to recommend to my agency that your

company gets started on making repairs.

Glad to.

And I promise you, sir, these repairs will pass

my inspection or you'll be working on it for the next year

at your expense.

Are we clear?

Yes, ma'am.

Please, Ms. Perlis, let me take your team up to the dam,

I can show you what I mean.

Actually, Mr. Powell,

with your track record, I don't want you anywhere

near the dam.

Hey, thanks for your helping there.

I have a meeting with the mayor.

You look great.

How's Garth doing?

He was there.

Bruce is a good friend of his.

I know, when I heard the news, I got on the first plane

I could.

I don't have a lot of time for this,

what is it exactly that you want?

I just wanted to talk to you.

Is that asking too much?

How about later?

How about we don't?

What's the matter with you?

What's the matter with me? - Yes.

You just show up at this meeting.

You don't even call me and tell me you're coming to town.

What's the matter with me?

Come on.

No, no, no, the dam's fine.

It's fine, the guy opened the wrong valve.

The hearing?

Piece of cake.

DSD gave us a whole clean bill of health.

Yes, I certainly do realize that you hold me personally

responsible for delivering on the energy contract, yes, sir.

Listen, Mr. Saunders, Ken?

I was wondering, when you're here tomorrow,

maybe we could finally put pen to paper on our next step.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

I'm still brokering for Rutland.

And of course you have my word that we can deliver.

You know, Ken, with a little fine tuning,

I think we might be able to double our output.

That dam is perfectly safe.

There's no reason why you and I can't move forward