Container Top
Homes   Jobs   Cars   Shopping
Search

Events Calendar

EVENT SEARCH:

In This Section


Most Read Stories


Blogs:


Akron Law Café:
Exxon Saved From the Rocks: The Supreme Court Limits Punitive Damages

The Heldenfiles:
Happy Day

Balanced Ledger:
Olympics, interested?

Patrick McManamon:
Yellowstone, C.C. Sabathia, Brian Windhorst and … yes … Yellowstone

Browns Bulletin:
ESPN's Browns love-in chugs along

Cleveland Browns:
Bentley leaves minicamp

Cleveland Indians:
Spanked on Independence Day

Akron Aeros:
All Stars, Roster Moves and More!

Akron Zips:
Contemplating fall camp

Varsity Letters:
CVCA junior soccer stars Speas & Mason to play at UA

Kent State Sports:
Jarvis on Maxwell watch list

Ohio Politics:
2008 = 1972? 1976? 1992? 2000? 2004?

All Da King's Men:
Words For Independence Day

Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dependence Day

Akrocentric:
Charles Taormina discusses "Acceptance of Individual Authors," self-publishing resources

Akron Gamer:
Harmonix keeps on Rock'n

BokBluster:
Patriot Games

Ohio Travels with Betty:
Is there an American Girl store in Ohio?

Olympic Dreams - Running:
Back to Phase One

Sound Check:
Tim McGraw wows and woos Blossom

Tia's Trends:
Saks Saleswoman Accused of Stealing $1 Million

Cleveland water main breaks, creates havoc

Buildings flood, workers evacuate, area closes


Associated Press

CLEVELAND: An aging water main broke open Thursday at a major downtown intersection, collapsing part of the street during the morning rush hour and flooding basements in at least four buildings, authorities said.

No injuries were reported. Water spilled out of a car-sized hole and onto surrounding streets in the Public Square area for about 90 minutes before officials were able to turn off water flowing to the pipe, said John Goersmeyer, a spokesman for Cleveland Division of Water.

Hundreds of workers at a 15-story office tower with flooding were evacuated as a precaution because the basement contains the building's electrical system, building manager Matt Ging said.

Traffic lights were out within a two-block radius, and water could be seen churning in the hole where the pavement collapsed, until it was pumped out. Authorities closed the intersection and rerouted traffic around the area, which filled with onlookers.

''It's really a good thing no
body went down there in a car or went over it at the time it happened,'' said Shane Chodak, 37. ''I'm just wondering now how long it's going to take the city to repair it.''

Large chunks of pavement fell onto the water line and a natural gas line, knocking out gas service to two buildings.

A state office building downtown closed in the morning due to low water pressure, but was to reopen today.

The size of the hole doubled as crews dug up the area to try to assess the damage.

Goersmeyer said the city had no estimate on cost of the damage or when it might be repaired. In the meantime, traffic will be rerouted.

The 30-inch water main has three smaller pipes that branch off, Goersmeyer said. It was unclear if the smaller pipes also burst or if nearby sewer pipes were damaged.

The 30-inch line dates back to 1880 and was refurbished when that section of road was rebuilt in 1996, he said.

''I'm told this is part of the city's original piping,'' he said.

Sporadic water main breaks downtown have frustrated city officials in recent years.

A 116-year-old water main that broke in 2001 sent millions of gallons cascading across streets in a 10-block radius, stalling cars and flooding some basements.


Get the full article here.


Story tools

Email  Email   Print  Print   Save  Save   Reprint  Reprint   Popular  Most Popular   Reprint  Subscribe

Share this story

AddThis Social Bookmark Button


Workmen surround a section of collapsed street at a downtown Cleveland intersection Thursday, March 6, 2008. A break in a 150-year-old water main collapsed part of the street during the morning rush hour, flooded basements in at least four buildings and knocked out power to a two block radius. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)