For the second time in a single week, residents and commuters in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood faced disruptions from a water main break that flooded Tremont Street. The recent rupture happened overnight, mirroring a similar incident that took place just days prior in the same location. According to an NBC Boston report, the damage was significant, resulting in both street closures and a sinkhole that swallowed an SUV, while a transit van met a similar fate during the initial break.
"But the second time it’s like, 'Wow, what’s going on?'" Robert Morgan, whose vehicle was encased by rising sediment, shared in an interview with NBC Boston. In concurrence with Morgan, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission admitted the fault was with the same 150-year-old pipe that had been remedied following the incident the week before. Even after a 16-foot section was replaced, the problem recurred, prompting Boston officials to contemplate replacing the entirety of the affected water main.
Significant floodwaters invaded the basement of an apartment building at 791 Tremont Street, as reported by WHDH. The flood had a particularly severe impact on the Piano Craft Gallery, which had already been reeling from the prior water main break damage. Gallery President Eric Grau lamented, "We’re going to have to replace our walls, we lost artwork in the backroom, we lost all of our pedestals," emphasizing the stark gravity of the losses endured, a statement obtained by NBC Boston report.
As crews toiled to resolve the calamity, Grau expressed to WCVB the disheartening situation for the volunteer-operated nonprofit gallery: The damage is pretty significant. With the street between Camden Street and Massachusetts Avenue partially blocked off, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission remained engrossed in repairs and water shut-offs during the extent of the morning, ensuring no further damage to the area's water supply.
