Crews Clean Up From Massive Water Main Break In Hunting Park
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Crews were working Sunday to clean up from a massive water main break in North Philadelphia.
The 48-inch main ruptured around 8 p.m. Saturday at Hunting Park Avenue and Westmoreland Street, leaving a gaping hole in the parking lot of what used to be the Tastykake factory in the Hunting Park section of the city.
More than 15-million gallons of water were sent gushing onto the sidewalks and into the streets, forcing police to close several roads from Fox and 29th Streets along West Hunting Park Street.
It took crews about two hours to get the water shut off. Area residents experienced low water pressure but that problem was quickly resolved.
No one was evacuated.
The clean up effort was expected to last until at least Monday evening before repairs could begin.
"Repairs will take some time," said Philadelphia Water Department spokesman John DiGiuilo. "It's a large main. 48 inches is a large transmission main. They are not easy repairs to make. The excavation and work around it is quite involved, so we'll be out here for some time to make sure that we do this and get it done."
Officials say the main was built in 1895 and it isn't the first century-old water main to break in this area. In June, another 48-inch transmission main burst near Bakers Centre Shopping Plaza at Fox Street and Roberts Avenue, forcing shoppers to evacuate.
Last week, City Council introduced a bill that would force the Philadelphia Water Department to inspect old water mains to help prevent these types of breaks from happening in the future.
