Residents were only given minutes to grab clothes and evacuate in a downtown LA luxury high-rise after a sprinkler pipe burst Monday afternoon.
"This is crazy!" Daniel Fernandez, resident, said as water began pouring not from his showerhead, but from the light fixture above.
The pipe burst at 1:19 p.m. at 717 W. Olympic Blvd., near Figueroa Street.
But problems continued into the evening, when residents were not allowed to return home.
Crew vehicles wrapped all the way around the block as the massive cleanup continued Monday night.
The 8-inch water pipe broke on the 25th floor, close to the top, sending water gushing onto every floor below.
A resident said the break completely flooded the stairway, and standing water was left in several units.
Residents described "waterfalls" cascading down the stairs.
U.S. & World
The water had been shut off, and no injuries were reported.
But it was simply not safe for residents to stay in the building overnight, said David Perez of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
It was unclear when residents would be able to return to the building as it had to be yellow-tagged.
Thousands of gallons of water still had to be removed Monday night, and no one would be allowed to return to the building for 24 to 48 hours.
Frustrated residents who pay anywhere from $3,500 to as much as $10,000 for rent each month were forced to check into hotels nearby.
