Broken water main floods fire house, affects dialysis service in West Philadelphia

WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A broken water main caused flooding at a fire house and affected service at several businesses, including a dialysis treatment center, in West Philadelphia.

The break happened at 4:30 a.m. Monday along Market Street between 42nd and 43rd streets.

Video from the Action Cam showed water gushing up from beneath the road, which had buckled.

Action News is told a 12-inch water main broke, causing about 5 feet of water to accumulate in the basement of Engine 5, Ladder 6 of the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Firefighters were pumping water out of the basement Monday morning.

Officials say firefighting equipment was not affected, and that the fire house remained on active duty.

Water in the area was shut off and turned back on several times as the Philadelphia Water Department worked to isolate the broken main.

That process affected service at several businesses, including FMC Dialysis in the 4200 block of Market Street.

Appointments at the facility were being rescheduled, and some patients were transferred to other locations.

By early afternoon, the facility was told water service would not be restored until Monday night at the earliest.

The facility was advising all patients to call before heading out.

There was no immediate word when repairs to the broken main would be completed.