Water main break floods building, streets at busy south Minneapolis intersection
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A major water main break early Thursday flooded a building and streets at a busy intersection in south Minneapolis, with the water quickly freezing in subzero conditions.
Just before 6:30 a.m., authorities reported a foot or more of water flowing on streets and alleys near the corner of 50th Street and Penn Avenue South. Roads were blocked in that area. Crews managed to turn off the water by about 7:30 a.m.
At least two businesses in the building announced they will be closed until further notice due to the damage. The city of Minneapolis asked people to avoid the area Thursday while crews were working at the intersection. Some residents in the area were without water while repairs were underway.
The Minneapolis Fire Department said it responded at about 3:30 a.m. to a fire alarm in a building housing Terzo restaurant, the Paperback Exchange bookstore and other businesses on the ground floor, with apartments above.
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“Upon arrival, fire crews found no signs of smoke or fire but there was a large amount of water flooding out of the restaurant. Fire crews attempted to locate the water shut-off in the basement of the restaurant but were unsuccessful due to the large amount of water,” the fire department said in a news release.
The fire department evacuated the second-floor apartments, and contacted residents in some nearby homes so they could move their vehicles before they froze to the street.
“The Water Department is on scene and working to mitigate the problem,” the fire department reported shortly before 6:30 a.m. “They are standing by for additional people and equipment to arrive to shut off the water main.”
Temperatures in the Twin Cities early Thursday were in the single digits below zero.
The Paperback Exchange said on its Facebook page that it’s closed indefinitely due to the damage.
Next door, Terzo said on its website that it’s also closed in the wake of the water main break.
“We appreciate the quick response from the public works and first responders. We are working with the city to understand the full scope of damage, what the timeline looks like, and how we can support our team members directly impacted,” the restaurant posted.
It said its sister restaurants nearby — including Broders’ Pasta Bar and Broders’ Cucina — were not affected by the flooding and will remain open as usual.