A motorist reported water gushing out of South Wilmington Street near East Martin Street around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday.
City of Raleigh utility crews had a difficult time figuring out how to shut down the new line behind the RBC Plaza for some time. Officials say a private contractor - not the city - is responsible for the break and the damage. That repair work is expected to continue through the day.
Eyewitness News cameras were on the scene as the gushing water created a miniature Old Faithful as the water reached heights of 25 feet. Numerous residents of The Hudson were seen outside of their condos, watching the geyser. Residents were forced to move their cars out of an underground garage to avoid flooding. Power was cut to the building as a safety precaution.
South Wilmington Street between East Davie Street and East Martin Street will be closed for several hours.
The water main has been capped, but the exact cause of the break is still under investigation.
Crews are spending the afternoon pumping water out of the garage under the RBC Plaza. According to the city, 250,000 gallons of water were lost.
