A water main break occurred in Riverdale, the Bronx, late Wednesday morning, causing extensive flooding at a nearby construction site. According to video footage captured by Citizen App and shared by ABC7NY, the break turned the area near 160 Van Cortlandt Park South into a muddy mess, likened to a "churning, muddy swimming pool."
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) responded promptly to the situation, managing to isolate the break and reroute the water, thereby averting a shutdown in water supply to local residences and businesses. As officials are currently assessing the safety of the site, the timeline for repairs remains uncertain. Adding to the chaos caused by the raging waters, lanes of the Major Deegan Expressway found themselves closed, while Notify NYC alerting the public around 2:14 p.m., as reported by The Riverdale Press.
As water and gas lines were shut down, a 300-foot crane at the center of the construction site now sits at risk of falling, prompting urgent warnings for pedestrians to avoid the area. The incident began unfolding at about 10:34 a.m. with FDNY officials confirming the affected addresses include 5925 and 5969 Broadway. Chris Petitt, a local resident, noted a significant drop in water pressure in his building following the break.
Describing the event, Derek Bennett, a salesman at Riverdale Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, recounted his reaction to seeing water gush into the showroom. He told The Riverdale Press that "he called 911 around 11 a.m. after water started flooding into the showroom from the street." Meanwhile, the dealership's General Manager, Brian Perez, along with managers Jacob Carrasquillo and Sergio Nunez Fernandez, expressed concerns about potential damage to vehicles and paperwork stored underground.
The city's Environmental Protection, Transportation, and Buildings departments are actively engaged at the scene, addressing the aftermath and working towards full remediation. As cleanup and repair operations continue, further details will be provided on the developing story.
