A major water main serving the Washington, D.C., metro area broke on the morning of Dec. 23, disrupting service and stranding motorists along a busy suburban artery for several hours. A 66-in pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe burst along a section that neighbors State Route 190 in the D.C. suburb of Bethesda, Md., at 8 a.m. Several commuters were traveling the four-lane highway during the morning rush hour when the pipe burst.
The pipe, which carries 135-million gallons of water per minute, sent torrents rushing down a nearly half-mile section of the road, stranding more than a dozen vehicles. At least 15 people were plucked from their cars by rescue workers in boats and helicopters throughout the morning. Three people were sent to the hospital, according to a Montgomery County police spokesperson, but there were no major injuries reported.