A few days ago, the water had risen so much that it was only 50 centimeters from the hotel, which Piteå-Tidningen was the first to report on.
Trying to protect the hotel
- Now we have built our own earth wall as protection and the water has sunk back a bit and is now 70 centimeters from the hotel.
But the danger is not over, because the water can rise again, says Jens Hardegård when SVT reaches him.
The work of digging an earth embankment continues on Tuesday and it is messy around the hotel's beach pormenad where the water has penetrated and where the ice has broken the street lamps so that they have fallen to the ground.
Nothing for the rescue service
The hotel management has been in contact with the rescue service to get help with the ice plug, which is judged to be one kilometer downstream of the hotel, at Bredselsholmarna where the river narrows.
- Last week we were there and drove with drones to see the ice plug.
The assessment from us, after we have been on site, is that it is not a matter for us, says Torbjörn Johansson, rescue service's internal commander in Piteå.
He continues:
- The wish is that we will blow up the ice plug and we have been in contact with both the military and the county administrative board, but the assessment at the moment is that it is the property owner who is responsible for protecting his property.
Just as individual homeowners can not call and ask the rescue service for help when they have to shovel a lot of snow from the roof.
Disappointed
Jens Hardegår is very disappointed that no community efforts are being made to help Hotel Storforsen.
- The hotel has been around since 1995 and we have always been able to get support before, but I understand that it is no longer so, so of course I am disappointed, says the CEO.