Overnight shift turned into full-blown flood response
So I work overnight stocking and what started as a normal shift ended in complete madness around 3:45AM. I hear someone on the walkie say, “We’ve got water coming in under the receiving doors.” I figured it was just some light seepage. Nope. By 4AM, it’s coming fast. Turns out a pipe burst behind the backroom wall. Within 20 minutes, the backroom was an ankle-deep pool. No one from maintenance was there, and management didn’t answer calls. So we’re out there in the dark, using boxes of old clearance items to try and dam the flow like it’s a warehouse version of The Day After Tomorrow. Then someone panics and says it’s near the electrical panel. Cue immediate freakout. We shut off what we could, started moving pallets, and eventually one of the team leads shows up looking like they just woke up (probably did). It was controlled by around 6AM, but by then everyone’s soaked, freezing, and behind on freight. I’ve had wild shifts, but this one? This one felt like it needed a FEMA response. Anyone else ever had an overnight just go completely sideways like that? #OvernightCrew #WalmartDisasters
Oh no, ceiling tile sludge plus raw meat? That’s horror movie material right there.
Cat litter is elite flood control. We use it for everything in Frozen. Break a pipe? Litter. Blood from a busted box of chicken? Litter.
We need to start handing it out like PPE.
Wasn’t quite a flood, but we had a raccoon fall through the ceiling in pets. Ran across the aisles, knocked over fish tanks. Absolute chaos at 2AM.
Dude that same raccoon probably hit our store too. Ours tried to get into the breakroom vending machine.
Smart. Knows where the good snacks are.
Honestly I’d take the raccoon over another flood any day.
Why do overnight emergencies always happen when there’s no one higher up to deal with it? Like suddenly we’re all part-time plumbers and electricians.
Because we are. I fixed a cooler once with duct tape, a broom handle, and a lot of prayer.
When freight’s late, no one answers. When the ceiling’s collapsing, still no answer. But forget to put out the pricing g^n? Oh they’ll find you.
I once had a pipe burst in fitting rooms. Customers kept trying to try stuff on like water wasn’t literally running down the mirror.
They were determined. Gotta admire the dedication to finding the right pair of jeans.
I remember when we had a power outage during Black Friday setup. Emergency lights flickered. Manager still wanted pallets on the floor. Told us to “improvise.”
Improvise with what, Larry, echolocation?
I bet nobody even documented this in claims either. Water damage just disappears if you don’t look directly at it.
Yup. That backroom carpet was still damp days later. Smelled like wet dog and cheap plastic.
One time water from the bakery leaked under the deli wall. Whole floor turned into an ice rink overnight. I slipped so hard I lost a shoe.
Losing a shoe is a rite of passage. If you ain’t limped home once, you haven’t worked a real overnight.
Did anyone call the store manager about it?
Supposedly someone did, but no one picked up. We left a voicemail and just got “thanks for informing us” the next day.
“Thanks for informing us” = they deleted it and moved on.
I’m surprised no one got coached for not preventing the flood. That’s how it usually goes.
Coached for not being Poseidon.
Bet the TL that showed up late still clocked in like they’d been helping all along.
You already know they did. Wet hair and all. Said they were “assessing from home.”
Who cleaned it up in the end?
Mostly us. Maintenance came in after 7am. Just in time to point at stuff and say “that’s gonna need drying fans.”
Classic.
We had water come down through the ceiling tiles in meat. Not a pipe—just actual rain coming in. Like it was raining inside.
At this point I think every store needs one of us certified in plumbing, electric, pest control, and light construction. Just pay us in hot fries and extra 15s.
Had freight floating down the backroom like it was on a lazy river. Called it “the pallet paddle.”
Not the pallet paddle. I’m crying.
I bet half the freight got marked down and reshelved anyway. Wet or not.
Yup. Put it in Clearance, slap a “slightly damaged” sticker on it and pray.
Why is it always night crew saving the store though?
Because we don’t have the option not to. Either we fix it or it breaks worse by morning.
No lie, I’d rather deal with a flood than a broken bailer again. Last time it jammed we had boxes to the ceiling for 3 days.
We had no soap in the bathroom for a week. Imagine a flood with no way to clean up after.
That’s just working retail. Pure survival mode.
Ever notice emergencies only count when they affect day shift?
Exactly. Overnight is invisible until the freight’s late or the floor’s wet.
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Had the backroom AC unit bl^w out mid-summer and start leaking through ceiling tiles. One of them collapsed on the meat cage. Smelled amazing.