This morning, residents of southwest Detroit were confronted with the chaos of a water main break that has since submerged streets and homes in icy floodwaters. The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) reported a 54-inch water transmission main ruptured near Beard and Rowan streets, as stated by the Detroit Free Press. This infrastructure failure quickly led to widespread flooding, affecting multiple blocks including sections near Green and Lexington streets.
Emergency services wasted no time responding to the dire situation and as the Detroit Fire Department spokesman noted in an interview acquired by CBS News Detroit, a rescue operation was mounted where a person was saved from a car caught up in the deluge using a ladder fire crews remain on the scene, working tirelessly to manage the flooding and assist affected residents. The area's vulnerability to such water main breaks has been highlighted by recent fluctuations in temperature and ongoing winter conditions which strain an already beleaguered infrastructure system.
The efforts to mitigate the flooding included GLWA crews actively working to isolate the main break and shutting off the main valves, according to John Roach, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office. Roach indicated to the Detroit Free Press that the water appears to be receding following these actions. Despite the urgent call to evacuate, several families have chosen to weather the waters within their homes while others were safely evacuated from the area.
Local police reported the break around 2 a.m., and by the time most residents were waking, four blocks had succumbed to flooding, police told ClickOnDetroit. Although crews are on-site working swiftly they are battling against not only the break itself but also the harsh cold that has left the streets a mix of rushing water and patches of ice creating a risky situation for all those affected and the emergency workers striving to restore some semblance of normalcy to the flooded neighborhoods.
