Water line break closes school and blocks of San Pablo Ave in Emeryville

EMERYVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- A major water line break in Emeryville has shut down a school and partially closed San Pablo Avenue between 45th and 53rd.

One lane is open in both directions on San Pablo Avenue. East Bay MUD have found the leak, and are working on fixing it, but not before some people were soaked.

Water started bubbling up on San Pablo Avenue at 47th Street in Emeryville at about 4:30 a.m. Water was shut off to a handful of buildings in the area, including Escuela Bilingue Internacional. The 200 elementary and middle school students were sent home for the day.

San Pablo Avenue is a major thoroughfare through Berkeley, Emeryville and Oakland. Traffic, including AC Transit buses was detoured to Adeline Street during the morning commute. At about 9 a.m., East Bay MUD workers located the leak and started digging. But it was a little too late for hydraulic controls. Parts of the business were flooded, some rooms turned into a big puddle.

East Bay MUD estimates to have the repairs completed by 5 p.m. but that is subject to change.