Water main burst floods homes, displaces 60 in Van Nuys
A 20-inch water main burst in a Van Nuys neighborhood early Tuesday morning, sending knee-deep water rushing into homes and businesses and displacing about 60 people, authorities said.
The break was reported just after 3 a.m. on West Vanowen Street near Hayvenhurst Avenue, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott.
Firefighters arrived at the scene to find 18-inch-deep water rushing down both sides of Vanowen Street and flowing into homes and businesses.
Scott said they checked homes in the area to make sure no one was trapped, and helped people and pets from flooded apartments to safety in a nearby parking lot.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power shut off the water flow about 5 a.m.
No injuries were reported.
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-- Tony Barboza
Photo: Rene Perez hugs his wife, Janet Parra, outside their flooded apartment on Vanowen Street in Van Nuys after a water main break Tuesday morning. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Che???
Posted by: TheBigPicture | February 01, 2011 at 08:56 AM
This Rene guy that is in the photograph should be thankful he is in the U.S. and not in CHE country. But his other patch tells more of the story with "I am here only for the beer".
Che was a mass murderer. Don't these people read? It's a shame anyone would wear such a patch.
Posted by: Rafael A. Chavez | February 01, 2011 at 09:01 AM
This guy is just happy to be in America...drunk...
If he were a true Che wannabe, supporter, whatever...He's be in Mexico fighting against all of the injustices that occur daily...
Just looking for the easy life in America...wearing a Che patch...
Posted by: TheBigPicture | February 01, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Water main breaks will continue to occur due to a failure to recognize that the system is aging and needs to be replaced. And this is because the users protest any kind of water rate increase necessary to financially support a viable replacement program. It's easier to complain abut "too high rates". So the cost will be very much for those very few who get flooded but will benefit those who simply don't care.
Posted by: logic and reason | February 01, 2011 at 10:34 AM
That loser with the Che patch notwithstanding, this is utterly unacceptable on the part of the LADWP. With the money these guys are sitting on, and the constant rate hikes, they can't keep the water mains from destroying scores of homes?! Where is our illustrious City Council on this matter?
Posted by: Dairenn Lombard | February 01, 2011 at 10:54 AM
What has happened to the LA Times?!?! They pick the weirdest photos now. Honestly, I know this photo shows displaced people but do you have to give the Yahoos of this country something so obvious to make fun of?
Posted by: annie | February 01, 2011 at 11:50 AM
@ Logic & Reason...
We've made too many fiscal promise$ we can't keep already.
We simply can't afford a new water system...
Welcome to the 3rd world.
Posted by: jojo | February 01, 2011 at 12:29 PM
logic and reason: You are very wrong in your assesment, unless of course you work for DWP. When DWP wanted to raise rates by 36%, an independent audit found that they had more than enough money. The problem is that DWP, the Maoyor and the City Council are too busy spending money on everything other than the infrastructure, and now that same infrastructure is falling apart. Mismanagement of the funds they have, (such as the mayor hiring ANOTHER PR Media lacky to add to his already obscenely bloated staff numbers) is the blame for this.
Posted by: Astonished | February 01, 2011 at 12:49 PM