[from Bill Crandall]
When my 14-month-old daughter started pointing excitedly out our front window this morning (around 10am), I figured she was just being dramatic. But then I looked and there was a plume of water twice as high as my neighbors' roofs. "All the news within walking distance" indeed.
By the time I got to the corner of Upshur and 5th, the water height had already gone down quite a bit. WASA workers said a blow valve had, well, blown. That's the cap in the fourth picture. To give an idea of the water pressure involved, it used to be screwed onto a pipe under the manhole cover.
One guy who had been working there when it happened told me he was ducking from the sudden geyser, then metal objects (like the cap and the large 'key' in the last shot) started raining down around him. It could have taken a tragic turn pretty easily.
Click on any image to see a larger version.
Apparently my wife was driving home from Takoma Park when she saw the geyser, before they got around to blocking off traffic. So what did she do? She drove right through it! Our two-year-old was impressed. (He wanted to do it again.)
Posted by: Monkey Daddy | June 05, 2007 at 11:23 AM
As far as I know, water service is fine. Yeah, the geyser really made me do a double take, unbelievable.
Posted by: Bill | June 04, 2007 at 01:05 PM
Wow! Do you know if water is out around there? Reports from 4th and Upshur say no - water service is normal.
Posted by: Wayan | June 04, 2007 at 12:52 PM
wow, i'm glad no one was hurt, but that geyser must have been AWESOME to see up close.
Posted by: IMGoph | June 04, 2007 at 12:45 PM