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West Elizabeth Home Flooded By Water Main Break

WEST ELIZABETH (KDKA) -- A water main break flooded a home in West Elizabeth overnight and the homeowner claims that the water company actually made matters even worse.

A neighbor knocked at the door of John Lennex's Viola Street home around 11:30 p.m. last night to let him know that a water main break was sending water gushing into his yard and basement.

Lennex says it took the water company more than two hours to finally shut off service to his home -- so he and firefighters watched helplessly as water continued to pour into his basement.

"If they'd have [gotten] here and shut it off within a reasonable amount of time, the damage wouldn't be as bad."

"We got damage to the wall... Our hot water heater -- everything... brand new furnace and a brand new hot water heater," Lennex told KDKA-TV.

Pennsylvania-American Water apparently operates the ruptured line; but so far, the company has not yet commented on the situation.

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