HIALEAH, Fla. – A private contractor struck a 54-inch water main Tuesday morning in Hialeah, resulting in traffic closures and possible lower-than-normal water pressure for the northern portion of Miami-Dade County.
According to a county news release, the incident occurred at West 29th Street and Red Road (West Fourth Avenue).
Hialeah police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez said the incident caused a significant amount of water to spill over the roadway and ultimately caused a large sinkhole to begin forming at the intersection.
North and southbound lanes remain closed on Red Road between West 21st to 32nd streets. East and westbound lanes are also closed at West 29th Street and Red Road.
County officials said repairs are estimated to take multiple days.
Residents and businesses near the area, as well as in the northern portion of Miami-Dade County, may notice lower-than-normal water pressure during the time repairs are being made.
"The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) will increase water pressure from the Hialeah Water Treatment Plant and area pump stations to mitigate the impact. However, the department is requesting that residents conserve water usage during peak usage times -- during early morning and evening hours -- for the next few days to lower demand on the system," the news release stated.
The contractor that was digging in the area was identified by police as Bore Rite LLC.
Rodriguez said authorities are in the process of verifying whether the company, which was not working for the city of Hialeah, had the proper permits for boring.
Click here for more information from WASD.