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Local bike museum endures massive damage after pipe bursts

PITTSBURGH — Bicycle Heaven is home to more than 6,000 bikes with some of the world’s most famous and most recognizable collector items. Unfortunately, following a Christmas Eve pipe burst, most of its showrooms have been flooded.

“Things like this got ruined,” said Curt Morrow, as he showed Channel 11 News the damage.

Bicycle Heaven is temporarily closed after the owner said he walked into his first-floor showroom on Christmas Eve and saw nearly 3 inches of water covering the floors.

“The water was pouring out the door,” Morrow explained.

Morrow said many items have already been destroyed due to the subzero temperatures and holiday closures hampering recovery efforts.

“On Christmas Eve, I couldn’t get a hold of anybody, the insurance company couldn’t get a hold of them, and couldn’t go to the store to start buying fans,” Morrow said.

Morrow said now it’s a rush against the clock to salvage the rest, but with more than 6,000 bikes and hundreds of collectors’ items and artwork, the pressure to get the items removed and safe is mounting.

“We’re known for a lot of vintages, NOS items, and things like that — one-of-a-kind items that will never be able to get replaced,” Morrow said.

Morrow said the loss from the burst pipe will cost the bike shop hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“I think there’s a couple of $100,000 worth of damage, easy. Just replacing carpets and redoing the floors, I’ll be able to rebuy and things like that. Some of the stuff I bought 30 years ago,” Morrow said.

Morrow said despite the mess, the damage and the cleanup ahead, he is fortunate his upper level — where some of the most iconic movie bikes are housed — went untouched.

“I would say 70% of the stuff is OK,” Morrow said.

The owner said they could use all the help they can get, because the insurance may not cover all of the damage. Click here to donate to the museum.

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