A massive water main break is submerging Newark in water so deep it’s nearly drowning cars and some businesses.
The break burst on Park Avenue around 5 Monday morning and the flooding in the area was all due to the break and not the weather from the storm that pounded the tri-state with inches of rain and howling winds that toppled trees and left thousands of people in the dark.
Officials have North Seventh Street all the way down to North Fourth Street blocked off to traffic and Newark Light Rail service is temporarily suspended in both directions between Orange Street and Bloomfield Avenue due to the flooding.
Video from the scene shows a flooded area with local businesses and cars on the street beginning to be swallowed by the water.
It’s still unclear what triggered the break.
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A massive water main break that erupted in a neighborhood in Newark's northern end of the city has emergency responders on the scene at this time,
The break happened in the 200 block of North 5th Street shortly before 4:45 a.m. sending firefighters to the scene where they found several vehicles trapped in about two feet of water after a main broke and flooded the residential neighborhood.
Crews are attempting to locate the exact location of the break as residents awake to little to no running water and flooded basements.
There were no injuries reported.
UPDATE NPD 6:59am TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose reports that Newark police and firefighters have responded to 259 North 5th Street due to a water main break that began at approximately 4:30 a.m. today.
Due to flooding, police have closed North 5th Street from 4th Avenue to 6th Avenue and Park Avenue from 1st Street to 6th.
Drivers and others are advised to avoid flooded streets and to refrain from driving around or moving barricades at flooded streets.
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Massive water main break floods Newark streets
October 30, 2017
NEWARK, NJ -
A massive water main break in Newark that coupled with yesterday's heavy rain flooded several cars and homes.
The 36-inch water line ruptured along North Fifth Street Monday morning, creating a crater-like hole. Park Avenue and Fourth and Sixth streets were also affected.
The deaths of three puppies are also being blamed on the flooding. A homeowner on North Fifth Street lost three 2-week-old puppies due to flooding from the main break. The animals were resting downstairs from their owner when the floodwaters arrived.
Vanessa Montiel says she was sleeping when the break happened, and by the time she was aware of what was happening, she went chest-high into water trying to save the poodles, but could not.
"I was crying trying to look for them, I could only find one," says Montiel. "As soon as the water went low enough, I saw another one which we have right now, and I am going to try to do something for it, because it was kind of sad, that shouldn't have happened."
Several homes sustained damage to their first floors, and at least 10 vehicles were damaged as well.
PSEG was also on the scene because a gas line that run next to the water line was damaged, leaving the area without gas.