Malibu water main break: PCH reopens near Trancas Canyon

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- A water main break forced the closure of Pacific Coast Highway near Trancas Canyon Road on Thursday.

An 18-inch pipe burst just after 6:30 p.m. Los Angeles County firefighters were the first to arrive on scene.

By 11 p.m., two northbound lanes of PCH were reopened. One southbound lane was closed through the night as crews continued repairs, but it reopened by 4 a.m. Friday.

Had the water been shooting out in the opposite direction, it would've sent thousands of gallons of water down a hillside and into homes on Broad Beach Road. A small amount of water came down. Firefighters had that road closed temporarily.

The water was shut off at 9 p.m. Public Works crews were expected to begin repairing the broken pipe and patching up the road.

The fire department says the water line is maintained by the county. The age of the water main and what caused it to break was not immediately known.