West Hollywood Flood Emergency
Massive Water Main Break Floods West Hollywood Streets, Disrupting Commutes
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Key Points
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The water main break occurred around 3:55 am near Palm Avenue and Harratt Street, with road closures around West Hollywood including Larrabee Street, Palm Avenue, and Hancock Avenue.
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The damaged pipe belonged to LADWP, and crews are slowly shutting large underground valves to stop the flow due to the highly pressurized system.
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A fire official described the leak as exceptionally large, with Capt. Aaron Katon noting the volume of water and calling it 'one of the big ones.'
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The incident flooded a bus yard and led to significant delays on multiple LA Metro bus lines, with lines 2, 4, 10, 14, 16, 20, 134, 602, and 627 affected.
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Video and reporting showed parked cars colliding or crashing as floodwaters rose near Palm Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, illustrating the disruption to traffic and private vehicles.
A massive 36-inch water main ruptured in West Hollywood early Thursday, flooding streets, submerging cars, and forcing road closures across a wide area near Sunset Boulevard Fox LA. The break was reported around 3:55 a.m. near Palm Avenue and Harratt Street, sending torrents of water rushing into neighborhoods, parking areas, and apartment buildings Washington Examiner.
Los Angeles County Fire Captain Aaron Katon described the leak as "one of the big ones," citing the sheer volume of water pouring from the pipe Fox LA. Crews from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power worked to slowly shut large underground valves to stop the flow, warning that the highly pressurized system requires careful, deliberate action NBC Los Angeles.
Streets Turn to Rivers Near Sunset Boulevard
Floodwaters rose several inches along Palm Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, stranding parked cars and causing multiple vehicle crashes Fox LA. Video from the scene showed cars colliding as drivers tried to navigate the rushing water. A bus yard nearby was also flooded, adding to the chaos in the early morning hours.
Road closures went up across West Hollywood, blocking Larrabee Street, Palm Avenue, and Hancock Avenue Fox LA. Residents in nearby apartment complexes and first-floor units faced flooding inside their buildings. Authorities said the cause of the break was not yet known.
Nine Bus Lines Hit With Significant Delays
The flooding dealt a hard blow to the morning commute. LA Metro reported significant delays on nine bus lines: 2, 4, 10, 14, 16, 20, 134, 602, and 627 NBC Los Angeles. Buses had to reroute away from the flooded streets, leaving riders with longer waits during the morning rush.
The flooded bus yard made the transit disruption worse, pulling vehicles out of service at a critical time Fox LA. Officials urged commuters to check for updates and plan for extra travel time while crews worked to clear the water and reopen roads.
LADWP Crews Race to Shut Off Pressurized Pipe
The ruptured pipe belongs to LADWP, the city's water and power utility. Crews could not simply switch off the flow — the system runs at very high pressure, requiring slow, step-by-step valve closures to avoid further damage Washington Examiner. Workers had to carefully turn large underground valves while floodwater continued to pour out.
NBC Los Angeles reported that the break impacted businesses throughout the area NBC Los Angeles. Some accounts noted effects on nearby hospitals and apartment complexes. Officials said damage assessment and repair work would continue throughout the day, with no timeline yet given for when full service would be restored.
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