Officials Issue Boil Water Advisory After Massive Water Main Break In Allentown
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS/AP) -- Officials have issued a boil water advisory after a large water main break flooded a neighborhood in Allentown, prompting evacuations and partially swallowing a vehicle, authorities said. Allentown police said the water began rushing down the street at about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, prompting evacuations and requests for residents to move their cars.
Lehigh County Authority Director Liesel Gross said crews were trying to shut off the 30-inch high-pressure line that serves large portions of the city and surrounding communities.
Gross said the break left a good part of the city without water service and widespread outages were expected. Residents were asked to avoid using water if possible.
The break happened at 17th and Walnut Streets.
Our crews will be working through the night to repair the main break near 17th & Walnut Streets and secure the ground and sidewalk. We issued a boil water advisory for Westmount Apartments, located in a higher elevation of our system. See website for more: https://t.co/hJHjoIq3JS pic.twitter.com/ysGABJmiCb
— Lehigh County Authority (@LCAuthority) April 29, 2020
For more information on the advisory, click here.
The cause of the break wasn't immediately known.
There's no word on when the repair will be complete.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)