Water main break causes flooding, damages street in Wilmington
The 400 block of Avalon Boulevard looked more like a river after a water main break sent water gushing into several businesses.
Neighbors said water shot into the air, knocking over a power pole and causing a large sinkhole in the middle of the street.
"I was trying to block the door so that water wouldn't come in, but it was no use. It just kept pushing. It was really, really strong," Karla Diaz told CBSLA.
Diaz was painting inside her art studio when she heard the main break and scrambled to get her artwork off the ground.
"I had to stack up all my paint buckets, like two or three paint buckets," she said.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said the 20-inch pipe was installed back in 1912 and likely ruptured due to age. Some 77 customers, including residents of a nearby apartment, temporarily lost water service.
A fire engine that splashed down the road brought in crews to ensure no one was hurt or needed help.
Business owners grabbed their brooms and desperately tried to sweep the muddy mess into the street.
"Four inches of water inside, on both sides, so what could we do? Stand out here and keep the water out, but there was nothing we could do," business owner Carlos Diaz said, adding that he used old sandbags from a previous storm to try and prevent more water damage.
Neighbors said that while the water main break was a huge inconvenience, they're thankful it wasn't much worse.
"We can't cry about this, just make the best of it," said one neighbor.
The break in the water main was 2 feet long and crews will have to refill the sink hole and repave the road, but hope to have the water back on for residents by 10 p.m.
