The break of the 12-inch main flooded 50th and 51st avenues, at 11th Street, on the Queens side of the Pulaski Bridge.
Water could be seen flowing into the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, but the Department of Environment Protection said the shutdown inside the tunnel was due to a stalled vehicle and not the water main break.
The water was one to two feet deep.
Crews were able to shut the water off after 6:30 a.m. and isolate the 12-inch line.
At around 7 a.m., the lanes reopened after being closed for about 90 minutes.
Crews shutoff two valves supplying the main, but a third valve remained open due to an oil condition.
The DEP says there may have been an oil tank or something else underground that was impacted by the water main break that slowed down capping the main. They told Eyewitness News that need to start ripping up streets before they can make a determination. The DEP says that's why the DEC is there and also had a hazmat team to help with road and sidewalk clean-up.
They say there are no residents without water right not because of redundant water main feeds, but there are ongoing street closures, including the following:
Con Edison Electric is on scene inspecting their infrastructure, and will be monitoring evacuation operations.
MTA Bridge and Tunnel is on scene conducting their investigation.
A salt spreader was sent into the tube to prevent freezing on the roadways.
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