Burst water main rains down water and gravel near Vancouver Art Gallery

On Monday, commuters were surprised by a gush of water spraying from the ground at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Several hours after the break began, the City of Vancouver announced on Twitter that a water main had burst at West Georgia and Hornby.

There is a water main break at West Georgia and Hornby. City crews will be working through the night on repairs, aiming to finish by the morning. pic.twitter.com/j53lVJSKm5

— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) September 24, 2019

The city also said that work crews would be on scene overnight to repair the damage.

Social media users posted photos and videos of the burst pipe, with one person saying that it was “raining gravel down onto the Art Gallery and plaza.”

Today in downtown #Vancouver chaos a major pipe burst has taken out half of West Georgia Street, and is raining gravel down onto the Art Gallery and plaza! pic.twitter.com/Q16Bn24t69

— Ed Sparks (@edspar) September 24, 2019

pic.twitter.com/X4ZiNualpn

— Ed Sparks (@edspar) September 24, 2019

It’s not every day that you see a busted water main on Georgia Street in #Vancouver! pic.twitter.com/F2eoM8CZS9

— Ryan Warawa (@warawa) September 24, 2019

Look at this surprise outside the #VancouverArtGallery #Hornby street in Vancouver where a huge water fountain on thee first day of fall has surprised everyone #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/avcAfVtYyt

— Sonyaaa (@realsonyaa1711) September 24, 2019

The city announced on Twitter that the water main break was repaired by Tuesday morning.

The pavement still has yet to be repaired, however, so delays are expected as two eastbound lanes are closed between Hornby and Howe.

UPDATE: the water main break at W. Georgia and Hornby is repaired after crews worked all night. NOTE: two lanes eastbound between Hornby and Howe will be closed till mid-morning for pavement repair. Please plan alternate route. #Vantraffic @NEWS1130Traffic @AM730Traffic

— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) September 24, 2019

Ashton Patis, Communications Coordinator at the City of Vancouver, says that the burst main is more than 90 years old.

“This particular water main is from 1924 and was scheduled for replacement in early 2020,” he tells Daily Hive in an email. “City crews have been working diligently throughout the night to repair this burst water main.”