MONTREAL — A major water main break in northeastern Montreal has forced evacuations and left vehicles submerged.
The City of Montreal says some 18 buildings the Villeray-St-Michel-Park-Extension borough were evacuated as a preventive measure.
Firefighters have closed off a sector of the borough, and as of 11 a.m., more than 11,000 people in the area were without power.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says teams are on site to plug the leak and fix the pipe.
The city says the cause of the break is unknown but adds that parts of the underground infrastructure are 100 years old and have reached or exceeded their service life.
A sports centre in neighbouring Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie was opened to take in residents forced to leave their homes, and the Red Cross is providing assistance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2023.
The Canadian Press
