Crews remove broken pipe, work to determine what caused break
NEW YORK - The three-foot wide pipe that burst on the Upper West Side was removed a day after causing massive flooding.
The pipe was one of three that served the area. It was placed on a truck and taken from the scene.
A portion of Broadway was submerged after the pipe burst just after 5 a.m. At about 7:55 a.m., the water appeared to have been shut at the site of the break but the damage was done.
Thousands of gallons of water flooded streets, at least three apartment buildings, a parking garage and gushed into the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 subway lines, fire officials said.
Subway service in the area was disrupted on the 1, 2, 3 lines between 42nd Street and 96th Street for many hours. Service was restored with delays after 4 p.m., the MTA said.
Video from SkyFox showed emergency crews wading through waist-deep water. The Department of Environmental Protection, the agency that manages the city's water supply, said it was working to figure out why the pipe burst.
Broadway was closed between West 61st Street and West 72nd Street for hours, causing significant traffic delays through the area. The northbound lanes were opened. The southbound lanes were expected to remain closed for a few days.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area.
