SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE\/WYOU) \u2014 Part of a city was left reeling after a massive water main break. It forced roads to close and caused a path of damage in Scranton\u2019s Hill section.<\/p>\n
That water main break caused quite a scene. Repairs crews worked under difficult conditions as water gushed above ground and turned into ice.<\/p>\n
Water rushed along a sidewalk on the 900 block of Madison Avenue in Scranton. It cascaded through one backyard, a neighboring business, and a few blocks down Ash Street.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania American Water says a 16 inch main snapped late Saturday morning. The pipe dates back to 1891.<\/p>\n
Crews were on the scene quickly, but it took hours to stop the flow of water that soon turned into ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery, very cold, though, so we\u2019ll be working with PAWC, working to make sure that these roads, as this water turns to ice, get salted as best we can,\u201d Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti (D) said.<\/p>\n
Protecting your home\u2019s plumbing <\/a><\/p>\n One of the many people impacted is John Butler, who owns Butler Casket Company on Ash Street.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has to be remedied as quickly as possible. So, I mean, I got to be open on Monday morning, so I\u2019ve got my hands full,\u201d Butler Casket Company Owner John Butler said.<\/p>\n The water seeped in on all sides of Butler\u2019s business. He said he sped to the building after a friend alerted him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe said, \u2018you got a river in your front yard, and it\u2019s coming around your building.\u2019 He said, \u2018I went around the block and I went through the alley.\u2019 He said, \u2018it\u2019s coming through the front of your building, the back of your building.\u2019 Apparently, we\u2019re dead center, you know, with it streaming the yards up on Madison Avenue,\u201d Butler explained.<\/p>\n Luckily, none of Butler\u2019s inventory was damaged, but he will have to work to get the water out by his regular business hours. However, he chose to look on the bright side.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, it could always be worse. Look at it that way, and let it go with that,\u201d Butler added.<\/p>\n