A building was evacuated and condemned after a seven-inch split was found in a water line in Billerica, according to the Billerica Fire Department.
The department said the call came in around 3:05 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at a 41-unit apartment building on Boston Road.
The department said a resident on the third floor heard a loud bang, and said she had water coming through the ceiling.
The fire department arrived and found a four-inch water line in the attic area with a seven-inch split in it, and firefighters went to the basement to close the valve and shut down the water.
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An estimated couple thousand gallons of water went through all the floors, causing massive damage and forcing the building to be evacuated and condemned.
The maintenance manager of the building said nine units were totally lost, with electricity off to all residents in all units.
The manager said 120 to 150 people were evacuated, and the were forced to stay in area hotels or with family, relatives or friends.
The department said one entire side of the building will likely need to be gutted, and the damage was estimated to cost millions of dollars.
No one was injured in the incident, and property managers are handling any issues with residents.
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