Apr 28, 2009 7:53 pm US/Eastern
Water Main Break Closes Portions Of Downtown
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) ―
-
-
A massive water main break closes portions of downtown Baltimore.
CBS
All city buildings in downtown Baltimore and the federal and circuit courts were closed Tuesday after a massive water main break.
Alex DeMetrick reports City Hall and several other buildings in the heart of downtown Baltimore were left without water, and thousands of workers were sent home.
The break was discovered around 6 a.m. Tuesday in the middle of South Gay Street near the intersection with East Lombard Street. Authorities say the break went from President Street to Light Street to Fayette Street to Pratt Street.
Crews had to drain the standing water before they could start repairing the break. Motorists were asked to avoid the area throughout the day, including during the evening rush hour.
At one point, the Inner Harbor Garage had three to four feet of water in the garage and streets were covered in two feet of water.
"We have had some natural gas leak. We've addressed and mitigated that also, and everything to my knowledge right now is back online with the possible exception of low water pressure and we have some rust in the water," said Commander Ed Cooper, Baltimore City Fire.
Millions of gallons of water may have been lost in the break, and water pressure is very low in certain areas.
Commuters were asked to check to see if their businesses were open before going to work and to use mass transit since many parking garages in the area were inaccessible and traffic was tough.
"I think I've gone about a quarter of a mile in 12 minutes or so," said commuter Carol Krawczyk. "I'm definitely late to my meeting."
It also impacted the afternoon commute.
Officers were stationed throughout downtown to keep things moving, but motorists were advised to find alternative routes around downtown, particularly the financial district in City Center.
The following roadways were still closed Tuesday evening:
-Fayette St. from President to N. Charles St.
-Lombard St. from President St. to N. Charles St.
-Gay St. from Pratt St. to Fayette St.
"This is going to be an overnight job. We don't know whether things are going to be up and running in the morning," said Mayor Sheila Dixon.
"This is unbelievable. It's like the Inner Harbor. I'm just looking at the Inner Harbor from where I work at," said Penny White, city worker.
In addition to the city buildings, the BCC-Harbor Campus, the Environmental Control Board and Circuit Court Baltimore City also closed Tuesday.
The National Aquarium in Baltimore's Inner Harbor was closed because the attraction uses city water for plumbing and food services. Spokeswoman Jennifer Bloomer said the aquarium uses a separate water system for the animals that includes a reserve.
If you need clean water, call 311. The city will make sure you get some.
Public Works officials had been planning repairs in the area, but the break occurred before those repairs could start. The mayor says the line is about 100-years-old. The age and change of temperature may have contributed to the break.
"A lot of times you see these water main breaks in the winter or the spring when the temperature changes," said David Scott, DPW director.
No one was hurt in the break.
Meanwhile, parking has been restricted in the following locations:
-Baltimore St. from President St. to N. Charles St.
-Guilford St. from Fayette St. to Lombard St.
City crews have started repairs on the 20-inch line now that it has been fully shut off and checked out, but Lombard Street at Gay Street will likely remain closed for Wednesday's morning commute and some businesses could be affected by power or gas outages. Commuters are advised to check with their business first thing in the morning to determine if their business is open as usual.
Stay with WJZ.COM and Eyewitness News for instant updates on this developing story.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
WJZ.COM's Most Popular Slideshows
Great NFL Hair
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
