Due to the low temperatures, large areas of the flood waters froze, destroying many cars and leaving owners without easy transportation
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by Brad Anderson
February 20, 2025 at 21:00
- A 100-year-old, 54-inch water main burst in the early morning, flooding the area.
- It took local authorities five hours to turn off valves and redirect the water flow.
- Local officials will cover the damages sustained by hundreds of affected residents.
Dozens of cars in Detroit were ruined and left frozen in place after a major water main burst earlier this week, flooding a neighborhood and causing an untold amount of damage. Not only were many cars caught in the rapidly rising waters, but many houses were also flooded, and hundreds of residents will have to leave, at least temporarily.
The incident occurred at around 2 a.m. Monday, when a 54-inch water main at Beard and Rowan burst. The main was over 100 years old and water quickly flooded through several streets. It took crews from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and Great Lakes Water Authority five hours to turn off the valves and redirect the water.
Watch: Here’s What Not To Do If Your Car Ends Up In Flood Conditions
Photos and videos captured from the scene show that because of the extremely low temperatures in the area, large areas of the flood waters froze, destroying many cars and leaving lots of residents without easy transportation, ABC 7 reports.
As the water rose to several feet high, the cabins of many vehicles were flooded. While some may be repairable, there’s a good chance insurers will simply deem lots of cars to be totaled, due to the damages being too costly to fix.
The city is doing what it can to help locals. It is offering a free towing service where it can pick up the stricken vehicles of residents and take them to the 4th Precinct lot for storage. Additionally, residents can call the city’s Emergency Hotline and order free Uber rides to work and the grocery store. Those left without power, water, or heat have been offered accommodation at an extended-stay hotel, and the city has assured everyone that it will pay for repair costs.
Cleanup efforts are well underway, but it will likely be some time before the neighborhood returns to normal. Residents are being encouraged to file insurance claims as soon as possible to speed up recovery.
And while community is pushing through the aftermath, the flooded streets and frozen cars serve as another harsh reminder that old infrastructure can cause some seriously modern problems.
Lead photo The Weather Channel