A broken fire hydrant or city water line catapulted water 60 feet into the air, closing a busy Mission Valley street Wednesday night.
The incident happened near the intersection of Mission Center Road and Camino de la Reina, next to a Hooters restaurant.
Emergency crew dressed in yellow raincoats were inundated with water from the enormous plume as they searched for a shut off valve to staunch the flow.
Crowds gathered in nearby parking lots to watch, breaking into shouts, whistles, and applause when the geyser was finally shut down at approximately 9 pm.
