Redlands water-main break damages homes

REDLANDS, Calif. (KABC) -- A 12-inch water main broke in Redlands Sunday afternoon, sending water into the street and damaging several homes.

The Redlands Fire Department responded to the 1200 block of Dearborn Street at about 4:30 p.m. to help shut off the water and mitigate flooding.

A jackhammer chipped away at the asphalt to reach the broken water main beneath the street.

"Around 4:30 I heard a big loud pop, and I looked out my second-story window and saw the whole street flooded," said John Caruso, a resident.

Water from the broken pipe quickly turned front lawns into front ponds, forcing a gopher out of his hole. Several inches of water flowed into at least one home and flooded five garages.

Residents tried to keep what they could from getting soaked.

Isabel Bedelian's late husband had stamps in boxes. Water had already seeped into her garage before a neighbor knocked on her door.

"Somebody was knocking at my door very hard. I said, 'Who is this?' I opened the door and she said, 'Isabel, don't forget you are having floods.' What flood? We don't have that much rain, you know," said Bedelian.

Her garage filled with about five inches of water but did not enter the house.

"It was all the way to the door," said Bedelian. "I was scared that water will be in the living room, but we were lucky."

Most of the people who had water damage spent the night in hotels while the repairs and cleanup continued.

About 60 customers had to have their water shut off. The water was expected to be back on by Monday.