PHOTOS: Center City After the Flood
A water main break turned parts of Center City into a sodden mess on Tuesday morning.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/water-main-break-lead-cineas-600x900.jpg)
Center City after Tuesday morning’s water main break. Photos by Fabiola Cineas.
A 48-inch water main near Sansom and Juniper streets burst early Tuesday morning, leaving a sizable chunk of Center City Philadelphia barren and muddy just a day before Independence Day.
The Philadelphia Water Department reported that it had shut down the main by 7:40 a.m., but hours later crews could still be seen cleaning up loads of debris left behind in the affected area, which stretched from Walnut to Sansom streets and Broad to 9th Streets.
Though police tape cordoned off many Center City intersections, pedestrians made their way through the affected area to get to their destinations, and some businesses could be seen cleaning up the flood water that had seeped in. Here’s what area looked like once the waters receded.
Pedestrians and cyclists weaved in and out of police line tape.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/stroller-police-line-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/police-line-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/biker-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/father-children-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/biker-police-line-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/people-walking-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
Center City Philadelphia https://t.co/34ciMqCpN9
— Fabiola Cineas (@FabiolaCineas) July 3, 2018
At around 8:50 a.m., officers who had been on the scene since 6:30 a.m. continued to direct traffic.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/officer-traffic-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/officer-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
At around 8:50 a.m., a worker at El Vez could be seen sweeping out flood water from the restaurant that was scheduled to open at 11:30 a.m.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/el-vez-worker-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas
Center City open streets aka water main break https://t.co/Wd4q6Jc8eD
— Fabiola Cineas (@FabiolaCineas) July 3, 2018
The intersection at 13th and Sansom, where businesses like Zavino, Time, Barbuzzo, Tredici, and Graffiti Bar weren’t yet open, remained covered in debris around 8:45 a.m.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/time-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/barbuzzo-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/zavino-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/debris-water-main-cineas-600x900.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/graffitti-bar-water-main-cineas-600x900.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
Officers outside Woody’s.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/woodys-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
The streets around Jefferson University Hospital at 10th and Walnut were calm.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/muddy-streets-main-break-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/muddy-streets-water-main-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
Crews were stationed at nearly every Center City intersection in the affected area.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/manhole-jefferson-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/woman-calm-water-main-cineas-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.
![](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/truck-water-main-900x600.jpg)
Photo by Fabiola Cineas.