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Water Main Break Sends Water Gushing Into Street In Upper Manhattan

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A water main break made a mess this morning in Upper Manhattan.

The main ruptured around 8:30 a.m. on Broadway near West 111th Street in Morningside Heights. Crews had it under control shortly after 10 a.m.

The break sent water gushing into the streets and subways. Concrete debris scattered the area where the force pushed it up and out.

Broadway was closed in both directions between West 110th and 113th streets.

Some pedestrians were annoyed their rainy Friday also meant dodging small rivers.

"I got my shoes wet," Neil Kernis told CBS2's Dave Carlin. "My friend called me as I was getting out of the subway, and she said that there was a water pipe that had burst and she couldn't get down here."

David Quinn said he got a text alert about the situation.

"It's from Columbia saying that there was a water main break, there was no access to the station. But low and behold, there is access to the station," he said.

Last month, a pair of water main breaks had more serious, lasting impacts.

"It's not that new to me, as long as I've been here. It's not shocking," said one subway rider. "It's worse, but not shocking."

The first, near Lincoln Center, forced businesses to close, evacuated luxury residences and flooded cars in an underground garage. The second, less than a week later on Central Park West, closed streets and subways for hours.

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