Major water main break causes residential flooding in St-Michel
Posted July 28, 2023 8:45 am.
Last Updated July 28, 2023 6:34 pm.
MONTREAL – A major water main break occurred early Friday morning in northeast Montreal, at the intersection of rue Bélanger and 17th Avenue, in the Saint-Michel borough.
The Montreal fire department (SIM) confirmed that residences and vehicles were flooded and some 20 buildings needed to be evacuated.
“A flood that big is not very common,” said Montreal fire operations chief Martin Guilbault.
“They had to close six valves. Two main valves and four secondary valves. That’s why the work has taken some time to be done,” said Guilbault.
The cause of the water main break is still unknown, but the flooding has led to a major sinkhole on Bélanger Street.
“That’s why the car is in the hole because the street beneath it just went out with the water,” said Guilbault.
Authorities have closed off a section of the sector — from Jean-Talon Street to Bélanger Street and between 15th and 20th Avenues.
Electricity was interrupted in a large area. Shortly after 8:00 a.m., Hydro-Québec reported that more than 7,000 customers were without power in Montreal. SIM added that some 40,000 people could be affected by a power cut due to the burst aqueduct.
The city has issued a boil-water advisory due to the flooding.
“I invite all Montrealers especially here in the area to go on to ‘Montreal.ca’ to look exactly the streets, the limitation of water that should be boiled before you drink it,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.
On social networks, Plante wrote that municipal teams were on site to stop the leak, repair the pipe and ensure the safety of residents.
She added that the Saint-Michel arena, located on rue Jarry Est, was open to receive people in need of support.
Société de transport de Montréal (STM) buses were dispatched to the scene to temporarily accommodate those in need.
The situation was under control as of 11:30 a.m. Friday.
A major water main break caused flooding in St-Michel on July 28, 2023. (Swidda Rassy/CityNews Image)
A major water main break caused flooding in St-Michel on July 28, 2023. (Swidda Rassy/CityNews Image)
A major water main break caused flooding in St-Michel on July 28, 2023. (Swidda Rassy/CityNews Image)
A major water main break caused flooding in St-Michel on July 28, 2023. (Swidda Rassy/CityNews Image)
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 28, 2023.
