Overnight Flooding across Kansas City

[Fish]

Trapped owners of Coach’s talk of ordeal from inside flooded bar



After floodwaters crashed through the wall of Coach’s Bar & Grill early Thursday, Brian Darby started sending out goodbye texts to his family.

“It’s the most scared I’ve ever been,” Darby said on the telephone as he waited along with business partner Chris Donna-Louise Carle, to be rescued by firefighters.

After seeing that heavy rains had fallen across the area, the two had gone to check for possible flooding and save paperwork at the bar near 103rd Street and Wornall Road . But rising floodwaters quickly trapped them.

“We got here about 4 a.m. and I wasn’t too worried,” he said. “The water started coming in the parking lot.”

He and Carle started moving paperwork to the bar as the water started rising. At one point, it reached about a foot high inside. Shortly thereafter, flood waters crashed a wall and rushed in.

“We ran and jumped on top of the bar,” he said. “We saw very quickly that it wouldn’t hold us so we jumped onto equipment.”

The water was rising so quickly, so they tore into the ceiling where they were waiting for firefighters to come rescue them.

“It’s a total loss,” Darby said of the bar and grill. “We regret the fire department has to risk lives to save us.”

He also expressed concern for Coach’s employees. He said trying to save the paperwork was all for naught because of the damage.

Overnight storms dumped a deluge of heavy rains across the Kansas City area, leading to serious flooding, several closed roads and water rescues early Thursday.

The Kansas City Fire Department responded to numerous water rescues early Thursday — from 43rd Street in midtown Kansas City south to 155th and Troost, including the Ward Parkway area, Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi said on Twitter.

Shortly after 6 a.m., the Kansas City Fire Department responded to the area of 103rd Street and Wornall Avenue on reports of at least two vehicles in Indian Creek.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Fish

Trapped owners of Coach’s talk of ordeal from inside flooded bar



After floodwaters crashed through the wall of Coach’s Bar & Grill early Thursday, Brian Darby started sending out goodbye texts to his family.

“It’s the most scared I’ve ever been,” Darby said on the telephone as he waited along with business partner Chris Donna-Louise Carle, to be rescued by firefighters.

After seeing that heavy rains had fallen across the area, the two had gone to check for possible flooding and save paperwork at the bar near 103rd Street and Wornall Road . But rising floodwaters quickly trapped them.

“We got here about 4 a.m. and I wasn’t too worried,” he said. “The water started coming in the parking lot.”

He and Carle started moving paperwork to the bar as the water started rising. At one point, it reached about a foot high inside. Shortly thereafter, flood waters crashed a wall and rushed in.

“We ran and jumped on top of the bar,” he said. “We saw very quickly that it wouldn’t hold us so we jumped onto equipment.”

The water was rising so quickly, so they tore into the ceiling where they were waiting for firefighters to come rescue them.

“It’s a total loss,” Darby said of the bar and grill. “We regret the fire department has to risk lives to save us.”

He also expressed concern for Coach’s employees. He said trying to save the paperwork was all for naught because of the damage.

Overnight storms dumped a deluge of heavy rains across the Kansas City area, leading to serious flooding, several closed roads and water rescues early Thursday.

The Kansas City Fire Department responded to numerous water rescues early Thursday — from 43rd Street in midtown Kansas City south to 155th and Troost, including the Ward Parkway area, Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi said on Twitter.

Shortly after 6 a.m., the Kansas City Fire Department responded to the area of 103rd Street and Wornall Avenue on reports of at least two vehicles in Indian Creek.

Same as it ever was. If you spit upstream Wornall at Indian Creek it will flood. I honestly do not know how anyone gets flood insurance in those businesses they probably dont. Rent must be cheap to put up with it. I have done so many flood plain surveys in this area honestly FEMA needs to buy this area out these businesses cant be allowed to go back in there.

[oldman]

I've often wondered why some kind of flood control can't be in place for that area. I'm not a civil engineer, but it looks to me that some kind of work could be done to widen or deepen that channel.

[gblowfish]

I guess if you're going to get trapped inside a building waiting for rescue, a bar would be one of the least objectionable locations...

[wazu]

Sad for Coach's. Spent a lot of time there in my early 20s as it was walking distance from my apartment. They've been in the news a lot lately as one of the owners was murdered earlier this year.

[Grim]

Originally Posted by oldman

I've often wondered why some kind of flood control can't be in place for that area. I'm not a civil engineer, but it looks to me that some kind of work could be done to widen or deepen that channel.

That area is, essentially, the bottom of a bowl.
Lots of businesses and homes/apartments back up to that creek. Widening it might not be possible.... maybe making it deeper would help.

[BWillie]

Got about 5.6 inches of rain Wednesday PM and Thursday early morning in Olathe/Lenexa/Shawnee. My Olathe rental house had no water come in at all. Usually some comes in at 2 inches plus. YESSSSS. Fixed it.

[Stewie]

Yeah, that Coach's picture could have been from 2014, 2011, 2009, 2007... ad nauseum. Clean up and start serving beer and food. It's no tragedy if it happens all the time.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Stewie

Yeah, that Coach's picture could have been from 2014, 2011, 2009, 2007... ad nauseum. Clean up and start serving beer and food. It's no tragedy if it happens all the time.

Apparently not this time.....

Coach’s grieving owner tells employees of flood-ravaged sports bar to find other jobs

Brian Darby this week told his Coach’s family of employees to go find other jobs — the reopening of the sports bar his father built is just too uncertain after last week’s flooding.

It’s a decision that wrenches Darby, a grieving son who took over the south Kansas City restaurant’s co-ownership not even three months ago when his father was found slain on the Indian Creek Trail.

“If my dad was still here, he’d be rebuilding this place no matter what,” Darby said heavily. “It would not be the best business decision, but he would be absolutely devastated, and he would make sure the employees have a home to go back to.”

A meeting Monday with insurance adjustors only confirmed what Darby already knew: Coach’s Bar & Grill was a total loss. There was nothing to be saved of the bar that existed for 35 years. It could take a year or more to rebuild or move.

He met that night with employees, some of whom have worked at Coach’s for nearly 30 years.

Go find other jobs, he had to tell them. And take care.

“We told them that they are like family to us and their loyalty to us through the years has been amazing,” said Darby, choking up recalling the Monday night meeting. “But this time, there’s so much uncertainty we told them not to wait on us.”

[...]