Water main break shuts down Fruitvale off-ramp in Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Crews are working to repair a water main break that residents described as a flowing river that drenched parts of Oakland's Dimond neighborhood, according to an East Bay Municipal Utility District spokeswoman.

The 16-inch cast iron pipe, built in 1932, ruptured sometime before 9 a.m. and sent water spilling down Montana Street near Dimond Avenue, just east of Interstate Highway 580, EBMUD spokeswoman Andrea Pook said.

The water has since been turned, which in turn, is impacting 12 customers and two apartment buildings.

Some residents say at one point the water seemed to be over three feet deep, reaching the doors steps of some homes.

As of about 10 a.m., only eight customers were without water, and there were some reports of property damage but the extend of that damage was unclear, Pook said.

"We called 9-1-1 three times and it took them a half-an-hour to arrive. East Bay MUD was here and they were just putting out traffic cones. At one point, a firefighter, my partner and I were standing on the road and it ruptured and we fell in and other firefighters had to come over and pull us out of the water," said Andrew Adams, an Oakland resident.

"We got here as soon as we could. It takes a little bit of time. Oakland has a lot of traffic and we don't have lights and sirens, so we responded as quickly as we could. And we won't leave until the pipe is repaired and the street is reconcreted, everything is cleaned up and everyone has power on," said Nelsy Rodriguez, EBMUD Spokesperson.

On-ramp to west bound 580 was also closed as result of the gushing water has since been reopened.

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Bay City News contributed to this report.