Water Main Break Closes North Dallas Thoroughfare
and Damages 30 Townhomes

Contact: Barbara Block
                 Office: 214-670-7949
                 Pager: 214-670-4115, code 9904

Date: February 8, 2001
Time: 10:30 p.m.

Location: 7400 block of E. Northwest Highway

Response: 2-Alarm level, 12 Major pieces of equipment, 48 Firefighters

Equipment Involved: N/A

Times: Dispatched 5:23 p.m.

Cause: Undetermined. Officials from Dallas Water Utilities will be part of the team investigating this incident, and until the 84-inch diameter water main and surrounding area can be examined closely, a determination on cause is pending.

Injuries: None.

Damages: Extensive damages from the rushing water impacted 30 town homes in the White Rock West Townhomes Association subdivision. The initial assessment of the damage incurred to those homes is:

$ 1,000,000 - Structure
$ 1,000,000 - Contents.

Volunteers with the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team were summoned to the scene, but none of the residents requested emergency assistance.

Details: Rescues: Five. (1) Three adult males were rescued from their car at the intersection of East Northwest Highway and W. Lawther Drive. A Dallas Fire Department truck company extended its aerial ladder and safely removed the men, one by one, from the stranded vehicle. (2) Two additional individuals were removed from a car that had been swept off a private driveway by running water.

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