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
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.