Residents displaced by a flood at a Tillsonburg nursing home won't be going back to their rooms any time soon.

Water from a burst one-and-a-half inch sprinkler system pipe forced residents out of the Woodingford Lodge Long-Term Care facility early Saturday morning.

Mark Stegmann, environmental services supervisor, says "This was a frozen joint that likely froze early in the week when we had -40 C weather and thawed on Saturday morning and let loose."

A large heating-drying unit and numerous smaller fans are being used to dry things out.

That process, and the need to check patient-monitoring systems and other electrical equipment will likely keep residents out for at least two weeks, even though only one room received significant damage.

Both the Ministry of Health and a local building inspector will have to sign off before anyone returns.

Stegmann says "He's given us a list of things he's going to require before we can occupy the building in addition to that the Ministry of Health will come through and do an audit and tour the building before they allow anyone back in the building."

For the time being residents have been sent to other locations, including 15 who are now at the Woodingford Lodge in Woodstock.

Corrie Fransen, director with Woodingford Lodge, says 12 are in a large common area, "where we have put room dividers between the beds...and their care is being provided there."

Fransen adds that staff from Tillsonburg are taking care of the Tillsonburg residents at other locations.

"So that the resident sees a familiar face no matter where they are. And I feel that has really alleviated their anxiety. And I've watch the residents faces when they say 'Oh, you're here, too.'"

The hope is to find private rooms at hospitals in Tillsonburg and Ingersoll for those residents in common areas.

So far, the total cost of the damage is estimated around at least $100,000.