Water Main Leak Floods Fourth Avenue In Brooklyn: Officials

Update: The latest story about the water main leak can be found here.

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A water main leak erupted on Fourth Avenue on Wednesday, flooding the sidewalk and shutting down traffic on a block of the corridor for hours, according to officials and video.

The leak happened just after noon when a drill punctured the water main near Fourth Avenue and St. Marks Place, according to Council Member Brad Lander.

Crews with the city's Department of Environmental Protection spent hours trying to turn off the water, which flooded onto the street and sidewalk near South Brooklyn Pizza and Cherry Tree bar, according to officials and videos.

The street was blocked off between Bergen Street and St. Marks Place while more than a dozen emergency responders worked on the leak, video shows.

By 4:40 p.m., crews were still working on turning off the water, which due to the size of the main needs to be shut off slowly.

They said customers in the area might see discolored tap water, which they should avoid drinking even though it is not harmful.

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At least five buildings on the street were impacted by the leak, according to Lander's office. They all self-evacuated as crews worked on the water main.

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