Water service restored after Manhattan main break, streets reopened
CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- Crews spent Wednesday repairing a 20-inch water main break in Manhattan that impacted traffic and subway service and also cut off water to apartments and buildings in the area.
The incident was reported at 26th Street and Seventh Avenue in Chelsea around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, and the surge of water was so powerful it left the pavement buckled on the street.
Emergency workers tried to get the break under control, but at one point, hot water went down into the subway system and temporarily shut down some service on the 1-2-3 line.
The situation appeared to be under control by 4:30 p.m., and normal subway service had resumed.
"It looks like they got it under control now," one witness said. "The water was coming out and looked like a rushing river, a rushing muddy river."
Still, 420 apartments and 12 businesses were without water overnight into Wednesday.
DEP says water was restored to all customers by late morning, and crews repaired and reopened the roadway by the evening.
The main that broke is more than 140 years old.
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