Update: Broken watermain in downtown Abbotsford
A broken water main caused flooding in downtown Abbotsford on Thursday afternoon, but city crews have the situation under control.
A huge puddle, almost too deep for a car to drive through, formed at the corner of Gladys and Essendene Avenues at about noon. Water accumulated rapidly, and covered the street in less than an hour. It drained quickly when the water was shut off.
City director of utility operations Len Stein said a six-inch line broke near the five corners intersection, probably because the cast-iron pipe cracked in cold temperatures.
Only two businesses were without water as the main was repaired, which he estimated would take four to six hours.
Stein said city workers were removing gravel carried down Essendene by the flooding, and would sand and salt the area to ensure sub-zero temperatures would not create icy conditions.
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