Fresno Water Main Break Floods Homes, Streets

A water main burst early Monday near Clovis Avenue and Columbia Drive in southeast Fresno, flooding the neighborhood and leaving some homes with as much as three feet of water. The flooding damaged residents’ homes and belongings, and saturated soil contributed to a tree falling; a large sinkhole also formed, prompting closure of southbound Clovis Avenue between Butler Avenue and Columbia Drive. Crews shut off the water and began repairs, while officials urged drivers to avoid the area until the road is deemed safe. Fresno’s public utilities director said the failed pipe was made of thinner material used by the city during rapid growth in the 1980s and 1990s.