Car Busts Open Fire Hydrant

The vehicle hit the hydrant in the College Area

A busted fire hydrant gushed a steady stream of water into the College Area Wednesday evening after a minor traffic collision.

According to police, a distracted male driver of a car struck the fire hydrant around 5:45 p.m. at 60th Street and El Cajon Boulevard.

Police said the man was heading home from work eastbound on El Cajon Boulevard and was fiddling with the radio when he accidentally jumped the curb and hit the hydrant, sending 35 to 40-feet of shooting water into the air for approximately 45 minutes.

No businesses were flooded, but the water in the surrounding streets was about one-foot deep, according to authorities.

Police provided traffic control at the scene, shutting down one lane of El Cajon Boulevard.

The San Diego Water Department was called to shut off the hydrant.

The flowing water was capped by 6:15 p.m.

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