Nearly 300 residents in Detroit were forced to move into hotel rooms after a water main break flooded their homes with icy water and disabled furnaces in subfreezing temperatures. The break occurred in Southwest Detroit, affecting nearly 400 homes, with about half experiencing basement flooding and no heat. The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department estimated that it could take up to six weeks for residents to return to their homes. Workers at the site of the break were working to excavate the area to find the exact location of the breach along the main, which was described as a “monumental hole in the ground.” The Great Lakes Water Authority chief resiliency officer stated that contractors were prepared to replace the section of the pipe that was breached, but it could take two weeks for the new section to be in place. The city main cannot be repaired until the Great Lakes Water Authority main breach is addressed, according to the mayor. The cause of the breach is still under investigation, but weather, including freezing temperatures, may have played a role. Rescuers had to evacuate 94 people, including 31 children, from flooded homes, and one man who experienced breathing problems after the incident was stabilized at a hospital. City inspectors were working to assess damage in the affected area, with the hope that repairs could begin the following week. Meanwhile, police patrols would be increased in the area until the breach was resolved.
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