A house and cars were damaged by a powerful blast of water that erupted from a broken underground pipe Sunday in Fullerton.
Video showed the water rocketing from the pipe about 40 feet into the air and crashing down on the front roof of a two-story house. Homeowner Nimesh Kharva said the force of the water early Sunday afternoon felt like an earthquake shaking the house.
“It was scary because it was basically like Niagara Falls coming down on my house,” said Kharva.
Two of the family’s cars were damaged, including broken windshields, Kharva said. The spray left debris and mud outside and inside the home, Kharva said.
“We’re glad we’re all safe,” Kharva said. “Nothing big, nothing major, no injuries, nothing like that. It’s just property.”
Water in the neighborhood was shut off for hours, allowing crews to make repairs. Part of the street was closed due to the 10-foot-wide sinkhole near Las Lanas Lane and Parks Road.
Security camera video showed the moment the pavement split and the geyser erupted through the street.
The city of Fullerton said the damaged pipe was installed in 1963, part of aging water infrastructure in the Orange County community. The city estimated that about 50 percent of its 420 miles of water mains are more than 50 years old.