Water main break floods Melvindale streets, strands vehicles

A water main break in Melvindale that trapped cars and flooded South Dearborn Street in freezing temperatures overnight Thursday is now fixed.

The water main break caused issues for those who live nearby on one of the coldest days we've seen this winter.

Melvindale's mayor said crews needed to pump water off the road before they could repair the eight-inch water main break at South Dearborn and Robert Street. 

"Due to the temperature and how cold it is, the water was freezing, so it wasn't actually going down into the sewer. That's why we have so much ice out here today," said Melvindale Mayor Nicole Shkira.

Shkira says eight homes were affected, and only on South Dearborn Street. Shkira says crews kept the water on at low pressure to avoid freezing anyone's pipes, but she also said the water shouldn't be used before crews fix the pipe.

"They really shouldn't be using it right now. You shouldn't be cooking with it, you shouldn't be drinking it, you shouldn't be bathing or doing laundry," she said.

Shkira says that goes for any yellowish or brown water residents see even after the main was fixed around 3:30 p.m. Friday. She says to run that water until it is clear.

Even though the situation was an inconvenience, one impacted resident still had a sense of humor about it.

"Last night, when I was getting ready to eat supper with me and my 20 dogs, I just saw a bunch of water; it looked like a lake. You know, I was going to get ready to get the jet ski out, and I get up this morning to take the jet ski out, and the lake froze," said impacted resident Mansour Mansour.

Shkira says any additional updates will be posted on the city's website.