Broken Main Makes River of Baltimore Street

A broken 42-inch water main made a river of a road in northeast Baltimore.

The main broke at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of Argonne Drive near Morgan State University and sent water streaming down the street, WBALTV.com reported.

The flow has been slowed, but the main was not expected to be shut off until about 8 p.m. Thursday.

"It is absolutely remarkable the amount of water that's gushing out of the 42-inch main at this location," public works spokesman Kurt Kocher said.

"We have cars that are partially submerged, some that are rocking, the water is going down onto Hillen Road," he said.

The broken main caused severe damage, Kocher said.

Chopper4 showed the water flooding a parking lot along Argonne and making a small lake out of a field.

Officials warned people in their home to stay put and others who live in the are to not try to get into their homes.

The cafeteria at Morgan State was opened to residents unable to return home, Kocher said.

Kocher did not know how long it would take to stop the flooding nor how many homes lost water.

Kocher told WBAL Thursday evening that city residents and those who get water from the city in outlying counties should conserve tap water, saying it was "absolutely remarkable" the amount of water gushing from the main.

Over the weekend, a main broke in the 4100 block of Westview Road, also in the northeast part of the city, WBALTV.com reported, and on Dec. 10, there was a 12-inch water main break near the Logan Village Shopping Center in Dundalk.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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