A dramatic video captured the moment a New Jersey home faced disaster as a water main break unleashed a towering geyser. The powerful jet of water surged directly at the front of the house, causing significant damage that compelled the unfortunate homeowner to flee their residence.
Videos by Suggest
The relentless water blast surged Monday afternoon after contractors accidentally struck a 30-inch water main around 4 p.m. while working in a neighborhood in Edison, New Jersey, Mayor Sam Joshi explained to NJ.com.
Their boner led to a massive water plume that struck a home on Woodbrook Drive, with some water shooting over the two-story building.
The homeowner was too overwhelmed to speak on camera, according to local outlet ABC 7. However, nearby residents expressed their shock at the sheer intensity of the stream.
“I came out of the house, I thought it was a fire with the water spreading over the roof of the house,” neighbor Barbara McMahon told the outlet. “When I walked this way, there was a hole in the ground and the water was shooting directly at the top window.”
Shutting Off the Geyser-Like Water Main Break was a Huge Operation
Meanwhile, local firefighters, police officers, and town officials swiftly arrived at the scene to shut down the lines. According to Mayor Joshi, the lines are owned by Middlesex Water Company.
“The break was caused by a contractor doing work,” Joshi explained. “The good thing is that no one was hurt. I spoke to the residents, they will obviously not be able to go back into their homes. It’s a very unfortunate situation.”
However, shutting off the geyser-like water main break would be no easy task. Joshi mentioned that nearly 100 valves would need to be shut off to halt the flow.
“There’s not one big shutoff for this particular main. The Middlesex Water Company is out there right now, and they are shutting off the valves,” Joshi added.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the Middlesex Water Company announced that it is actively working to repair the damage.
“Crews expect to fill and begin flushing the main tonight,” the statement explained. “We anticipate having the road re-opened tomorrow mid-day and that the main will be returned to service by Friday mid-day.”
However, locals were simply thankful that the ordeal wasn’t worse.
“It’s an accident, so we have to accept it, and mistakes will happen,” Penugonda admitted. “But fortunately, all the departments acted quickly and they are taking care of it nicely.”