Several major roads in West Hollywood were closed after a broken water main at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive caused major flooding, damaging parked vehicles and rushing into apartments and homes in the trendy city.
The leak stems from a rupture in a 36-inch steel pipe that occurred around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Anselmo Collins, chief operating officer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Water was cut to the area around 7:30 a.m. local time after the water main break was first reported, according to the city of West Hollywood. The city’s Public Works Department quickly deployed its personnel to the scene. The city said it is now working with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Metropolitan Water District to determine next steps.
The city said in a statement Thursday that there is currently no timeline for repairing the water mains.
The ruptured water main lies just below Sunset Boulevard, which runs toward the northern edge of the affluent West Side neighborhood, where the terrain slopes steadily from a relatively flat baseline near Santa Monica Boulevard to steep rises moving north, past the Sunset Strip and into the Hollywood Hills.
The intersection of Sunset Boulevard where Holloway Drive meets Palm Avenue is the connecting point for the rest stop. Footage captured from a helicopter by ABC7 shows water rushing across Palm Avenue several blocks to Santa Monica Boulevard. Cars were seen parked on Palm Avenue, water pouring over their hoods, and homes were flooded with water as the torrents flowed.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was at the scene in West Hollywood this morning assessing the damage. At a morning news conference, officials assured the public that crews were on site working urgently to shut off the water and assess damage. Because crews are dealing with high-pressure pipes, they need to work carefully to avoid further damage, Bass said.
“I would urge everyone to avoid this area,” Bass said. “We will provide more information as progress is made. And let me also say that this is one of the challenges when our infrastructure is so old – from what I understand these pipes are over 100 years old.”
West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman said at the press conference that all residents were safe and that none of them would have to evacuate the area.
“The good news is that all of our residents, as far as we know, are fine,” he added. “There was some street flooding this morning, and some sub garages were flooded, but that appears to be subsiding. Our city staff responded immediately. We have set up an evacuation zone, if that appears necessary. But at this time, it does not appear that any of our residents will have to evacuate.”
The public was urged not to drive in the area, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a Nexel Warning around 5 a.m. Thursday closing the following roads: Eastbound Santa Monica Boulevard was closed between San Vicente Boulevard and Hancock Street. Eastbound Holloway Drive is closed between Sunset Boulevard and Westmount Drive. Eastbound Sunset Boulevard is closed between Larrabee Street and Sherbourne Drive. Larrabee Street, Palm Avenue and Hancock Avenue are closed north and south between Sunset and Santa Monica Streets.
A huge sinkhole opened up on the West Hollywood sidewalk near Sunset Boulevard after water flooded the streets, according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail.” KTLA. The local news channel reported that two men fell into the hole. A line of cars was seen passing by the hole as neighborhood residents and commuters headed to work during the morning rush hour.
A bus park in West Hollywood below Santa Monica Boulevard was also flooded. Los Angeles Metro officials said this would affect bus service in the area. On bus routes 16 and 105, northbound and westbound buses will stop on San Vicente Avenue in front of the Pacific Design Center. Eastbound and southbound buses will travel via Robertson Street between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue, the agency said Thursday.
The Department of Water and Power’s Emergency Command Center has been activated, opening communication with the city’s Emergency Management Division as well as West Hollywood, said Dave Hanson, chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager.
“We would like to extend our apologies to the community for the impact this has had on you. Fortunately, at this time, we do not have services disrupted, so everyone has clean, drinkable water,” Hanson said.
