SHLAND, Kentucky (AP) – About 1,000 gallons of water poured into a northeastern Kentucky arts center Saturday when a scholarship pageant contestant attempted to steam out the wrinkles in her dress as it hung from a sprinkler head on the ceiling.Firefighters said heat from a steamer triggered the sprinkler system on the second floor of the Paramount Arts Center. About two and a half inches of standing water flooded the center, causing an estimated $30,000 in damage.
“There was all this water flowing down from the ceiling and all these pageant contestants standing around, some in curlers, some holding their dresses,” said Cindy Collins, director of operations at the Paramount. “It was pretty crazy.”
The contestant who tripped the sprinklers, who wasn’t identified, was “totally soaked,” Collins said.
She said the arts center probably would place signs in the dressing rooms warning people to not hang garments from the sprinkler heads.
In showbiz fashion, the center cordoned off the wet spots and the Miss Ashland Area Scholarship Pageant went on.
Perhaps some additional clothes racks and even an ironing board might also be helpful.
In the questuion and answer portion of the competition, I hope she was asked what the most embarassing moment of her life was.
so, this too turned into a wet t-shirt contest! 