Water main break leaves West Hollywood facing long recovery
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Cleanup and repairs continued Friday after a massive water main break flooded parts of West Hollywood damaged apartment buildings and vehicles, and left residents facing what officials described as a lengthy recovery process.
Crews remained at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive on Friday morning, where they were working to repair a large sinkhole that formed after a 36-inch steel water pipe burst.
Eyewitness News learned the pipe was about 110 years old. An infrastructure improvement project had been scheduled for 2031 and was expected to be completed by 2035.
READ MORE: Water main that ruptured in West Hollywood was already slated for replacement under LADWP project
The break triggered widespread flooding in the area, with homes inundated and hundreds of vehicles damaged after underground parking garages filled with water. One person was temporarily swept away in the fast-moving floodwaters.
Residents described a chaotic and frightening scene as the water surged through the neighborhood.
"I thought this was an earthquake of some sort, a maybe a natural catastrophe," said Tehran Von Ghasri, a West Hollywood property owner. "I didn't imagine this was going to be a water main break, especially with the noises and the flooding."
"I've never experienced this before in the neighborhood, like a complete halt ... gridlock," said said West Hollywood resident Ikill Orion. "You would think it was a hurricane or earthquake or something like that."
Same street, new blowout
As crews responded, ABC7 helicopter reporter Scott Reiff recalled covering another significant water infrastructure failure on Sunset Boulevard more than a decade ago.
It happened on July 30, 2014, in Westwood near the UCLA campus, where a water main break erupted in the middle of Sunset Boulevard. Video from the ABC7 archives shows the high-pressure break sending a massive geyser of water into the air as floodwaters rushed down Sunset Boulevard and onto the UCLA campus.
The flooding inundated parking garages and athletic fields, creating dramatic scenes that were captured from the air.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has not confirmed when repairs will be completed. Officials said crews are continuing work to restore normal conditions and reopen the affected section of Sunset Boulevard.
Traffic disruptions persisted following the hard closure of the roadway, which caused significant congestion Thursday.
LADWP officials said drinking water remains safe, though some nearby buildings are experiencing low water pressure. The mayor has asked residents and businesses near the break to conserve water while repairs continue.
Officials said anyone with property or vehicle damage can file a claim through LADWP at ladwp.com/claims.
LADWP claims staff will be available to assist Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1010 Palm Ave. They'll be able to answer any questions about property damage and claims.
Additional updates could be provided during a press conference expected later Friday morning.
