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Public Safety

North Park Water Main Break Floods Homes, Streets

A 30-inch cast iron water main broke in the North Park Community Park near the intersection of Polk Avenue and Oregon Street, Jan. 5, 2017.
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A 30-inch cast iron water main broke in the North Park Community Park near the intersection of Polk Avenue and Oregon Street, Jan. 5, 2017.

A water main ruptured in a North Park neighborhood early Thursday, sending a deluge of water through the streets and into some area homes.

A 30-inch cast iron water main broke in the North Park Community Park near the intersection of Polk Avenue and Oregon Street, according to city officials. San Diego police subsequently closed off Idaho Street between University and Polk avenues, University Avenue between Idaho and Arizona streets, and Lincoln Avenue between Idaho and Hamilton streets.

Personnel from the American Red Cross were sent to the area to assist residents immediately affected by the flooding and opened a temporary evacuation center at the North Park Recreation Center, located at 4044 Idaho St., San Diego, CA 92104.

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Public Utilities Department workers had the water shut off by about 5:30 a.m., city spokesman Arian Collins said.

Collins said the extent of the water damage to area homes was not yet known. Those whose properties were damaged can file a claim with the city's Risk Management Department online at sandiego.gov/riskmanagment.

No one in the area was left without running water because the main did not directly connect to meters, but some customers may temporarily have low water pressure, Collins said.

It was not immediately known how long repairs would take, he said.

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