Hundreds of Detroit families were forced to leave their homes after a massive water main break.
As residents were reeling from the aftermath of the incident, the internet was flooded with videos and images of submerged roads and cars.
Some of the videos captured vehicles frozen in place, with ice covering their bonnet and reaching the windows.
Highlights
- Hundreds of Detroit residents were left dealing with the damages caused by a massive water main break.
- About five feet of water flooded the streets in the affected area.
- “Detroit: Its literally hell frozen over,” said one social media comment.
- Scores of videos captured vehicles frozen in blocks of ice in subfreezing temperatures.
Hundreds of Detroit residents were left dealing with the damages caused by a massive water main break.
Image credits: gabrielaaa_99
On Monday, February 17, a 54-inch (1.4-meter) steel water main burst and flooded some streets of southwest Detroit with about five feet of water.
The pipe, nearly a century old, was built in 1930.
While the exact cause of the break was not immediately clear, city spokesperson John Roach said it could have been a combination of aging infrastructure and the freezing temperatures.
Nearly 400 homes in the area were affected by the incident, and families from about 133 households were forced to stay in hotels after their basements were flooded.
Several residents, already struggling with subfreezing temperatures, had to be rescued from their homes via boats.
Officials said around 63 adults and 31 children were rescued by city first responders on Monday.
One rescued resident was taken to the hospital with breathing difficulties. He eventually reached stable condition.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said rescuers went from house to house on Tuesday to check on residents. He also noted that 110 of the 400 homes impacted in the area underwent inspection to assess damages.
The mayor went on to assure residents that they will be offered hotel rooms if their homes do not have power or heat.
About five feet of water flooded the streets in the affected area
Image credits: kdj.alejandra
Scores of videos shared online revealed ice-covered vehicles, frozen in gigantic blocks until the water finally drained.
When resident Michael Muzzey woke up on Monday morning, he instantly thought about his cars.
“The first thing I thought was holy bleep,” Michael told WXYZ. “The second thing I thought was what am I gonna do about the cars.”
His two cars, including a brand-new truck, underwent severe damage after water entered the interiors and froze.
Image credits: kdj.alejandra
Michael believes the damage may not be reversible, and that's the situation most of his neighbors are also in.
“There’s several cars on this street that are pretty much out of commission,” he said.
Another resident, Shellisa Rigney, said she never expected to see her house—which she has called home for nearly four decades—suffer this kind of damage.
“I probably got about maybe a foot, maybe two-foot water in my basement. I just looked down. When I seen it, I turned around and went right back,” she told the outlet.
Around 94 people were rescued from flooded homes in the early hours of Monday, February 17
Image credits: kdj.alejandra
“You sign into and you don't think of it, and you never think it's going to happen to you,” she added.
Netizens were in shock to see harrowing videos of the aftermath.
“So yall flooded and then froze?? That’s gotta be one of the top 5 worst things to naturally happen im so sorry and good luck,” one commenter said.
“Detroit: Its literally hell frozen over,” said one social media comment
Image credits: samih_yahya1
“What a nightmare to wake up to! Praying for yall,” read a second comment, while a third said, “*Note to self* do not buy any used cars from Detroit.”
One said, “I can honestly say that I have never seen cars on the street buried in ice...snow yes, but not ice…”
“Every day, the movie ‘The day after tomorrow’ comes closer to become reality,” read another remark.
“This is so insanely dangerous,” another said.
Mayor Duggan said residents won’t have to worry about paying for damages to their property because the incident was the result of the water main system’s failure.
Scores of videos captured vehicles frozen in blocks of ice in subfreezing temperatures
Image credits: David Rodriguez Munoz/Detroit Free Press
“The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and GLWA are going to repair the damage and pay for your loss as a result of this, and I'm really pleased at that fact there's no bureaucracy involved, that your uninsured damage will be split 50/50 between GLWA and DWSD,” the mayor informed residents.
Officials said it could take several weeks for the city to return to normal.
Resident Claudia Ortiz said she plans to seek the city’s help because her homeowner’s insurance policy doesn’t cover flooding.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan assured residents that they would not have to pay for damages
