PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — Fans and dehumidifiers are humming through the hallways at Carriage Place Apartments on Auburn Avenue in Pontiac as crews work to clean up damage from a major water main break that forced hundreds of residents out of their homes.
The city describes the break as significant. Burst pipes flooded the first floor of the building late Tuesday evening, forcing power and gas to be shut off as water seeped into apartments.
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Asani Henry was among the residents displaced. She said she got a phone call alerting her something was wrong.
"It was water rushing out the bathroom. All the water was rushing into here, all of this was flooded, everything was ruined and they were telling everybody we had to evacuate," Henry said.
Resident Robert Adams said the flooding reached inside his apartment.
"The water was coming out into the front door all the way to my TV. And that's when I started mopping and sweeping it out," Adams said.
The Waterford Regional Fire Department cleared the building Tuesday night. Displaced residents found quick relief at Woodside Bible Church, located next door to the complex.
Pontiac Mayor Mike McGuinness said community partners helped house residents in local hotels. Henry said the situation was difficult for her family, but the city came through.
"It was inconvenient for my elderly grandma — she lives in here, my auntie, you know? It was inconvenient anyways, but they did good by putting us in a hotel," Henry said.
Some residents began returning home Wednesday afternoon as electrical and HVAC crews worked to restore the building. McGuinness said progress has been swift.
"I know they've made substantial progress in very short order," McGuinness said.
The city says the main break was caused by winter weather. Power and heat have been restored, but some first-floor apartments are still drying out, and the hallways leading to the lobby remain in disarray.
Henry said the ongoing conditions are a concern for her family.
"It's a hazard because I got kids, I got babies that come down that's going to be running through here and there's a lot of electrical stuff right here, and it's just always something," Henry said.
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