BOSTON (WHDH) - A water main break shut down part of Tremont Street in Boston Friday morning, flooding the roadway just days after a similar incident impacted the same section of the street.
The water main break happened in the area of 791 Tremont St. and prompted a significant response from emergency personnel and utility workers.
“It’s a little frustrating that it would happen,” said area resident Robert Morgan.
Floodwater made its way into the basement of an apartment building at 791 Tremont St. and caused major damage to Tremont Street itself, according to Boston Fire Department Captain Michael Feeney.
Crews were able to contain the water before it spread further, avoiding damage to any other nearby buildings.
Though basement residential units were not damaged and though residents were able to come and go from their homes, this incident poured a large amount of water into a basement art gallery that was already dealing with the impact of the previous water main break.
Several cars were also stuck in the floodwater.
“This is now the second flood that they have had down there,” one person said, referencing the art gallery.
“It’s really, actually really tragic since they’ve been working so hard and drying it for the last week,” the same person added.
While some crews worked at street level, crews were also seen working to get water and debris out of the Piano Craft Gallery.
Gallery President Eric Grau said art, furniture, and equipment were damaged. The Piano Craft Gallery is now seeking donations to fund repairs.
“The damage is pretty significant,” Grau said. “We were in the process of picking up the pieces from last week’s flood…This one was actually more devastating.”
Grau said the nonprofit Piano Craft Gallery is staffed by a team of nine volunteers. He said he now expects it will take thousands of dollars to recover.
“It’s really heartbreaking,” he said.
Crews had the area of Tremont Street between Camden Street and Massachusetts Avenue partially closed to traffic as crews worked to patch the broken water main and repair the mangled roadway.
Crews remained at work throughout the morning commute and into the afternoon.
The Boston Water and Sewer Commission said the pipe that broke was an older pipe. As a result, officials said they may replace the entire pipe.
As of around 10 a.m., officials said they expected to reopen Tremont Street to traffic Friday afternoon.
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