BURST WATER MAIN TURNS BUSY STREET INTO SWIFT RIVER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26959, 20 December 1948, Page 4

BURST WATER MAIN TURNS BUSY STREET INTO SWIFT RIVER

PA AUCKLAND, Dec. 19. About 1,000,000 gallons of water swept' in a.torrent down the Great North road at New Lynn late on Saturday afternoon when a joint in one of the trunk water mains leading to the city blew out. For four hours a section of the road was under water, and special arrangements had to be made to direct the fairly heavy flow of traffic through the area.

The blow-out' occurred without warning. No seepage to indicate a leak was evident before a fierce jet of water, tar-sealing, and rubble shot about 40 feet into the air. It rose as high as the nearby shops, scattering stones for a radius of many yards and quickly flooding the street. Within a few minutes the Main North road was transformed into a swirling river about two feet deep, with a strong current racing down the slope. A large crowd was quickly attracted, and fairly heavy traffic was using the road at the time. For scores of children in the district the flood was a welcome Saturday afternoon diversion. Small rowing boats appeared almost by magic, and many children enjoyed the unusual experience of rowing along ‘the busy highway. The window of a shop was broken by flying rubble, but no other damage to property was reported.