Seward Elementary shut its doors Friday after a ripple effect that started with a water main break that left the Auburn school without heat.

First, a water main at the school broke, allowing water to erode soil covering a gas line, said Joseph D. “J.D.” Pabis, superintendent of the Auburn Enlarged City School District.

As water exposed the gas line, repair crews realized there was a gas leak and contacted New York State Electric and Gas for assistance.

NYSEG and Vitale Construction collaborated to bring the gas leak under control, said Larry Garuccio, superintendent of buildings and grounds, but quickly realized that something else had gone wrong when the building's heat would not turn on.

Upon an investigation, NYSEG realized that water had entered an 8 inch natural gas line, Pabis said. NYSEG has been pumping water out of the line since the evening hours, and because the building cannot be heated, the district had to close school.

Crews were finishing work Friday and expected the school to be reopened by Monday.