Watch CBS News

Service restored after water main break impacts hundreds of Brooklyn homes and businesses

Service restored after water main break floods part of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Service restored after water main break floods part of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn 01:33

NEW YORK -- A water main break flooded a cultural center and left hundreds of homes and businesses without water Wednesday morning in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. 

Water service has since been restored, but the cleanup and repairs have only just begun. 

The water gushed into the cultural center for the Federation of Associated Laconian Society by the corner of Fourth Avenue and 68th Street. It flooded the entire basement, leaving more than a foot of water. 

According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the break impacted about 200 homes and 16 businesses. 

CBS New York's John Dias spoke with a barista at a café that only opened a year ago. The water was shut off during their busiest time, so they couldn't make any coffee for the morning rush. 

"After that, it's like what's the point of being open?" Steven Helgeson, of City League Coffee Roasters, said. "Especially on a Wednesday when people are trying to go to work and get their coffee fix. Then they've got to go back, travel somewhere else, maybe on a different street where they're not affected." 

By noon, crews were still on the scene trying to figure out what caused the break in the first place. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.