CLEVELAND — A water main break on Warren Road and Grapeland Avenue may seem like a relatively small concern, but when temperatures are in the single digits with a wind chill below zero, it’s a huge problem.
Lindsay Kruez said she was leaving for work early Tuesday morning when she noticed something was wrong.
“I pulled out of the driveway and once my rear tires hit this ledge over here, it just dropped, but I couldn't move forward because I was slipping. I had to fully reverse, and this ice block took out my left bumper,” Kruez shared.
The ice block she’s referring to spans from her home to at least four others and is no less than nine inches tall.
Kruez describes the block of ice as a “mini cliff.”
“It was really frustrating, especially because of my car. I just bought my car three months ago, so I was pretty upset about that. I can't park in the driveway. I had to call my neighbor and tell her she can't leave the house because I didn't want that to happen to her car. It's just kind of a mess here,” Kruez added.
Not only are driveways frozen, but trashcans parked by the curb were covered in icicles.
The water main break causing the freezeover was still gushing a mildly sized stream of water when we left just before 8 p.m.
Kruez said she first noticed the water main break around 8 a.m.
Kruez said both she and her landlord have phoned the city for help, but unfortunately, Cleveland City Hall was closed Tuesday due to the extreme temperatures.
“I know they have some emergency crews, so I'm really hoping that they consider this an emergency,” she stated.
Kruez has also filed a complaint with the city’s law department in hopes that the damage to her vehicle will be paid for. She has an appointment with a repair shop Wednesday morning.
“I guess we're just going to wait and see,” she said.
I reached out to both the City of Cleveland’s Mayor’s Office as well as the Water Department Tuesday night. We’re waiting to hear back.
