Lanes reopen after water main break on Roosevelt Boulevard

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA - Feburary 4, 2014

Authorities tell Action News an 8-inch main broke at 3:00 a.m. Tuesday along the southbound boulevard at Unruh Avenue in Mayfair.

Images from the Action Cam at the scene showed water surging up from under a sidewalk and flooding a large part of the intersection.

Concern about icing prompted Philadelphia Police to set up barricades shortly after the break was discovered.

Traffic was detoured off the outer southbound lanes of the boulevard between Tyson and Harbison Avenues. The inner southbound lanes remained open.

Utility crews responded to the scene and had some difficulty finding the shut-off valve due to the the large amount of snow left by Monday's storm.

They finally were able to shut off the water shortly before 8:00 a.m. By that time, the road surfaces had been treated with salt, melting ice that had begun to form and allowing police to remove the barricades.

Traffic was flowing normally again by 8:00 a.m.

Earlier, a Philadelphia Fire Department crew responded to the scene and told Action News water service to fire hydrants in the area had not been affected by the break, and there had been no reports of flooding to area homes.

There was no immediate word if water service to area customers was affected, or when repairs to the broken main would be complete.

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