WEST HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews continued working around the clock in West Hollywood Friday, removing water from the 0.7-mile isolated section of a 3-foot-wide steel pipe and the area surrounding the rupture before securing it and assessing the extent of the damage.
Approximately 195,000 gallons of water needed to be removed as of 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Sheri Lunn, West Hollywood’s public information officer, told City News Service in an email.
“The work involves shoring to make the area safe before excavation to assess the damage to the pipe can commence,” Lunn wrote. “LADWP crews will continue to work around the clock until the pipe is repaired and traffic can be safely opened.”
The enormous steel pipe was a main trunk line that is more than a century old, according to officials at DWP, who said it dated back to 1916.
LADWP said its staff will be at 1010 Palm Ave. in West Hollywood from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday to respond to questions about property damage and claims, Lunn wrote.
Customers with questions may call 1-800-DIAL-DWP. Claims information is available at www.LADWP.com/Claims.
A major water main was reported broken around 3 a.m. Thursday in the area of Palm Avenue and Harratt Street, two blocks south of Sunset Boulevard and two blocks east of San Vicente Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Live television broadcasts and video showed water roaring downhill from Sunset Boulevard at Holloway Drive to Santa Monica Boulevard and into the Metro bus yard on Santa Monica Boulevard near San Vicente Boulevard.
“This is a big break,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Aaron Katon told City News Service. “We have a lot of old pipes in this area. But a break this big is exceedingly rare.”
Two people fell into a sinkhole that collapsed the sidewalk on Palm Avenue just south of Sunset, a witness who recorded video of the falls said. The two men did not appear to be seriously injured, Bystanders rushed to help and the two men did not appear to be seriously injured, the witness told reporters.
Witness video also showed a wayward Waymo autonomous car driving into a stretch of damaged, flooded road before firefighters disabled, then moved the vehicle.
Katon said firefighters had recently undergone training on how to deal with driverless cars in emergency situations.
A man was seen inspecting his model Jeep, which had a massive chunk of sidewalk wedged beneath it and a Tesla pushed against its front on Palm Avenue.
Another man who lives on the street said he worked late and arrived home to find a cataclysm.
“It was a river,” said Tehran Von Ghasri. “I thought it was a catastrophe. I though it must have been an earthquake. Maybe a hydrant broke; maybe all the hydrants broke.”
By 7 a.m., the water, which pushed around parked cars and flooded underground parking garages, had stopped flowing.
Westbound Sunset Boulevard traffic was stopped at La Cienega Boulevard, while a hard closure was established at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive because of the sinkhole.
Authorities also reported the following street closures:
— Sunset Boulevard between Larrabee Street and La Cienega Boulevard;
— Palm Avenue between Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards; and
— Santa Monica Boulevard between Larrabee Street and Holloway Drive.
Katon said the first priority was ensuring everyone was safe, with first responders going door to door in the affected area. The next priority, he said, was protecting property, pumping out water and helping businesses reopen.
Normally bustling at midday, much of the Sunset Strip remained largely deserted as the closures kept customers away and businesses shuttered. Some establishments remained open to serve coffee and drinks to first responders working in the area.
At the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Palm Avenue, the LADWP set up a blue tent where claims representatives were assisting residents and business owners affected by the flooding. The American Red Cross was also on scene distributing drinks and snacks.
“We received the report of this incident at 3:55 a.m. and our water crews have been onsite working to carefully and methodically close large- diameter valves located underground to turn off the water and assess and repair the damage,” an LADWP spokeswoman said. “Due to the highly pressurized water system, our crews must turn valves slowly and carefully to avoid causing further damage.
“We are also coordinating on the ground with law enforcement and will be working with traffic control as we make progress and assess and begin repairs,” she said.
A pressurized 8-inch line was operational and serving all customers but one, and the water was safe to drink, according to the LADWP’s David Hanson.
“Everyone does have clean water that’s safe to drink,” Hanson said.
While water remains safe to drink, some customers in the immediate area — particularly those on higher floors of buildings near Sunset Boulevard – – reported reduced water pressure, officials said.
“As LADWP crews continue to work urgently to remove water to repair the pipe rupture in West Hollywood, people should avoid the area and conserve water as some may experience a loss of water pressure,” said Mayor Karen Bass.
Crews need to work “very carefully to avoid further damage,” Bass said.
In May, Bass unveiled Los Angeles’ first Capital Infrastructure Program, an effort intended to guide long-term planning for projects such as street resurfacing, sidewalk repairs and curb ramp improvements, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The absence of a formal plan has contributed to deferred maintenance and chronic funding shortfalls for infrastructure projects, according to the mayor’s office.
Separately, voters in November are expected to consider a proposed City Charter amendment that would authorize Los Angeles to adopt a five-year capital infrastructure program.
The specific cause of the break was under investigation, but Anselmo G. Collins, the LADWP’s chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager of the water system, said pressure in water delivery lines is highest at night when demand drops.
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