Watermain rupture displaces Burnaby residents, shuts down businesses
A watermain break is causing a massive headache for hundreds of residents living in two condo towers in the Brentwood neighbourhood.
Shoolin Saini was in his condo when he heard a loud noise, prompting him to go downstairs to investigate where he saw a few other residents who were alerted to the commotion.
“The floor was absolutely shaking -- really violently -- almost like there was an earthquake happening right at the front door,” he said.
The rupture happened early Monday morning, impacting Tandem A and Tandem B, buildings at the corner of Dawson Street and Gilmore Avenue which have more than 800 combined units.
When the residents went down to the parkade, they were shocked by how the parking lot had turned into a lake, with water reaching the hood of some vehicles.
“I think the biggest danger was just the water because it was flooding the cars and there was an electrical room, I think, nearby too. So the biggest hazard was just water being near electric,” Saini said.
Property management group Stratawest Management said plumbers and restoration crews have been pumping water out of the building but the work was difficult due to the presence of oil.
Water has been emptied out of the elevator shafts but when the elevators will be operational is unclear.
Since there’s no running water and no working elevators, residents have been told to find accommodation elsewhere in the meantime.
But some have decided to stick it out.
“For us, we have to walk up 20 flights of stairs, so it’s a bit much – forced exercise. We don’t have any water, no toilet, no anything,” said resident Kelly Hubert. “It’s more inconvenient, I would say, for elderly people in the building or people with children.”
Some businesses on the ground floor of the building have also been forced to close.
Saini said if he and the few others didn’t happen to notice something was wrong, the rupture could’ve flooded more than the parkade.
“There was no actual alarm system going off. I would like to see either a shutoff valve or some sort of alarm,” he said. “We just got lucky here because we were awake, otherwise this could have been a lot worse.”
Stratawest told CTV News that may be something the strata council looks into in the future. But for now, the focus is on the repair and remediation work.
There's no estimate for when people may be able to return home, and the cause of the rupture is under investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.