Flood Causes $100,000 Damage At Local Bookstore

A broken street drain in Brattle Square sent between 5000 and 10,000 gallons of rain water into the Wordsworth Bookstore early Wednesday morning, causing an estimated $100,000 in damage.

The water, which came from Wednesday's storm, filled the shop with three feet of water and caused hydraulic oil from the elevator to spill out on to the floor.

Wordsworth staffers yesterday filled two full dumpsters with ruined books, and one employee predicted that six more would be needed to take care of the damage.

The owner, Hillel Stavis, said he was unsure of whether the store was insured for the books destroyed or the damage to the shelves and rug.

He added that he was also considering taking legal action against the City of Cambridge for the faulty drain.

Assistant City Manager Richard S. Rossi said yesterday that Cambridge officials would be investigating the incident, but he refused to speculate on the cause of the flooding.

Wordsworth, which has been on Brattle St for seven years, will reopen today. The store will sell partially damaged books at a discount after its losses have been totaled.