Broken Fire Hydrant Creates Geyser, Spews Water Into Air Over West Elizabeth
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WEST ELIZABETH (KDKA) -- A fire hydrant blew its top, shooting thousands of gallons of water into the air in the small borough of West Elizabeth Friday evening.
It happened at the corner of Ferry and Market Streets around 6 p.m., but what caused the hydrant to break was not immediately known.
Fortunately, no one was hurt by the heavy metal cover.
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Eddy Rodriguez, his wife and children live nearby.
He told KDKA-TV News, "I was working on my truck, and all of a sudden, I heard a pop. I looked up and the fire hydrant was shooting out water. It looked like 45 to 50 feet into the air. I told my wife to call 911, but she was too nervous, so I called 911."
"The water started coming more and more," neighbor Maria Rodriguez said. "It wasn't clear water. It started hitting the [electric] wires, and the wires started dancing. I was afraid."
A construction site across the street from the broken hydrant was flooded, and at least one nearby home sustained water damage.
After about an hour, the water stopped gushing out when crews finally managed to shut off the flow to the hydrant.
"The hydrant was not in use. It was wrapped up in yellow plastic, not even the fire department could use it. It's been almost a year since it was shut off," Rodriguez said.
