A large water main break caused havoc on numerous New Jersey communities, leaving tens of thousands of inhabitants – as well as a nearby trauma hospital – without running water and causing at least one car-swallowing sinkhole.
The 72-inch, 140-year-old pipe that burst in Branch Brook Park on the boundary of Newark and neighboring Belleville at 8 a.m. on Tuesday poured for hours.
A sinkhole sprang out during the day, engulfing a whole automobile. Only a tire could be protruding from the water. According to NBC, the motorist saw water rising up in front of her car on the roadway and quickly exited her vehicle. She was not hurt. The city of Newark was forced to postpone summer school, and several nearby hospitals were forced to reroute patients while homeowners and businesses were asked to save water.
As a precaution, boil water warnings are in force for Newark and Belleville residents until further notice. On Wednesday morning, the situation will be reassessed. According to Kareem Adeem, Director of the Newark Department of Water and Sewer Utilities, over 100,000 individuals were affected in Newark alone.
‘Newark is home to the majority of the Northeast’s infrastructure. ‘Newark is the third-oldest significant city in the US, and its infrastructure may date back when Abraham Lincoln was president,’ Adeem added.
According to authorities, Newark and the adjoining town of Belleville were without or had limited water on Tuesday, and both cities were under a boil water alert.
Belleville Mayor Michael Melham shared a video on Facebook showing water spilling from a water main break as a sinkhole swallows a car.
‘It practically swallowed the whole car,’ said Anthony Iacono, the township manager of Belleville.
University Hospital, Newark’s largest hospital and the region’s sole Level 1 Trauma Center, instituted emergency water conservation measures and activated its emergency command center. All elective treatments were canceled, and visitors were restricted.
‘Until regular water operations return, the community should abstain from bringing non-emergency matters to the hospital,’ hospital authorities advised. ‘University Hospital is always here to fulfill the community’s healthcare requirements, and we appreciate everyone’s patience during this brief water problem,’ said the hospital.
Free cases of bottled water were delivered in Belleville late Tuesday evening, with a restriction of one case per household and confirmation of Belleville residence.
According to CBS News, Newark municipal employees distributed over 7,000 cases to citizens, even going door to door in the sweltering heat.
According to NBC4, according to Newark authorities, there seem to have been two breaks, one at Branch Brook Park on Mill Street and the other on Joralemon Street in Belleville.
Utility staff located six defective valves, which were all shut off by early afternoon, according to the outlet.
The water main break occurred during the most recent heat wave, which forced Newark to declare a code red and create emergency shelters to offer citizens with overnight refuge.