Detroit's creaky infrastructure caused major problems Tuesday: closed schools and darkened traffic lights because of a power outage and a massive flood of quickly freezing water from a water main break.
On the day before the official state enrollment count day, more than 30 Detroit schools and three other schools have closed due to a power breakdown in what officials said is an ongoing problem. The outage also caused traffic signals to malfunction across northwest Detroit.
WDIV-TV reports the Detroit Public Lighting Department has told the school district that four substations have failures and they are not sure on when power will be restored.
In a statement, the DPS said:
We are gravely concerned about today's electrical outages caused by power failures of the Detroit Public Lighting District and the ongoing power issues that have caused many lost school days for our students.
Our leadership today reached out to City and State leaders to express our concerns and seek expedited and bolder solutions, particularly because tomorrow is the state's Pupil Membership Count Day, which could impact our state funding.
We have experienced, with today’s outage included, more than 160 days of missed school in the first six months of the year because of PLD power issues. This is three times the number of missed days during all of last year.
The water main rupture caused thousands of gallons of water to gush from the ground near Buchanan and McKinney, near W. Warren and W. Grand Boulevard in 12-degree weather.
Update, 4:08 p.m.: Mayor Duggan's office reports valves have now been closed and work crews will clear the area for repairs by pumping the street and removing any vehicles still stuck in the water. Most streets should reopen this evening. A section of Buchanan will be closed as repairs are made.
Earlier: At one store near the break, water rose several feet against the brick walls. Workers constructed ice and snow dams to contain the flood and used earth-moving rigs to free vehicles.
WXYZ-TV reported a police car and taxi were among the vehicles trapped in a five-block area by the fast-rising water from the city's latest water main break.
No injuries were reported.
Buchanan runs east and west north of Michigan, between Livernois and Grand River.
Last week, in even colder weather, freezing water trapped several vehicles in a smaller water main break near Conner and Gratiot on the city's east side.
