It happened around 11 a.m. Tuesday at 67th Street at Central Park West, when Con Ed says one of their contractors who was mapping out a location for a future gas main installation struck the water main.
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People streamed out of their buildings to watch the water gush onto the street.
"It was just like a little sound and it went flying, everybody got out, everyone started recording, watching," witness Anes Omeragic said.
Other eyewitnesses told Eyewitness News that the water went so high at first that a fifth floor apartment in one building was flooded.
A construction vehicle was used to cap the water, but the ensuing stream partially flooded 67th Street to Columbus Avenue.
Crews managed to shut the water off to the main about a half an hour later.
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No one was injured, but seven buildings were left without water service.
--1 West 67th Street - 17 story 122 unit residential building
--7 West 67th Street - 17 story 122 unit residential building
--2 West 67th Street - 15 story 65 unit residential building
--24 West 67th Street - 14 story commercial building
--40 West 67th Street - 10 story 39 residential units
--47 West 67th Street - 31 story mixed used use building with 171 residential and 2 commercial units.
--50 West 67th Street - 8 story 60 unit residential building
DEP crews are on scene, assisting the private contractor with repairs. Officials hope to have water restored by the early evening.
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Con Edison reported there was no impact to its infrastructure.
West 67th Street was closed between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.
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