Water main break leaves homes dry

A water main burst at Union Street and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City early yesterday, causing a partial street collapse, flooding and leaving approximately three dozen homes without running water, Police Director Samuel Jefferson said.

Bergen Avenue was closed off between Communipaw Avenue and Forrest Street, and the Bergen Avenue bus line was re-routed as well.

Jersey City police and workers from United Water responded to the scene yesterday. PSE&G also was summoned after a gas main supposedly ruptured and workers said they smelled gas, but a PSE&G representative said there was no rupture.

In an unrelated story, PSE&G officials confirmed that a small gas leak occurred in the area, but that leak was unrelated to the water break on Bergen Avenue. The gas leak was being worked on around 6:30 last night and was expected to be fixed soon after.

In addition to seeing his basement flooded and losing water service, Victor Ventura, a resident of Bergen Avenue, also lost his car.

"It was parked outside my house, and fell into the hole caused by the pipe," Ventura said.

The car was gone, but not swallowed up by the earth - Ventura was told it was towed away, but not by whom or to what location.

Six buildings in the vicinity were without water yesterday, according to Deborah Rizzi, a spokeswoman for United Water.

Other nearby Greenville residents reported low water pressure.

Rizzi said repairs to the water main were ongoing yesterday, and service was expected to be restored by last night.