MANHATTAN — A leaking fire hydrant spread mud across East 80th Street and flooded a nearby garage Wednesday morning, officials said.
A valve that connects the hydrant to a water main started leaking between First and Second avenues about 4:30 a.m., officials and witnesses said.
The leak spread dirty water across East 80th Street and flooded the basement of the nearby Sterling Garage, an employee said.
"Water was pouring down the block. It was coming from the ground. It was like a river," said Eric Mensa, 50, who works at the garage.
Workers with the Department of Environmental Protection shut off the water at about 4:45 a.m. to do repairs, but not before much of the damage was done.
"Our basement is like a swimming pool now. We're scared to even go down there," Mensa said. "There's a lot of electrical equipment."
It wasn't immediately clear what led to the leak or how much water spilled out.
The faulty valve was being examined at a DEP facility, a spokesman said.
Water was restored to the area by about 5:30 a.m., the spokesman added.
