A sheared fire hydrant at a popular Hillcrest shopping center created a towering geyser that flooded a parking lot and caused a mudslide onto the state Route 163 freeway below.
The incident was first reported to California Highway Patrol at 7:30 a.m., CHP communications say, when a fire hydrant was sheared at the Hub Hillcrest Shopping Market -- which houses Ralph's and Trader Joe's grocery stores -- turning the parking lot into a pond. A river of water and mud was also spewing down the mountainside onto northbound SR-163 between University Avenue and Washington Street.
The mudslide closed the 10th Avenue on-ramp to northbound SR-163 and the northbound SR-163 off-ramp to eastbound Washington Street until about 2 p.m. as crews worked to clear debris from the road.
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On the hill above, video from the scene shows firefighters wading on all fours through knee-high water trying to shut off the hydrant as a geyser spouts at least 50 feet into the air. Firefighters were able to shut off the flow of water about 8 a.m. Water also flowing into the adjoining underground parking garage but it did not appear enough water entered the garage to cause any damage.
Few details were known about what caused the sheared hydrant. Reports from the scene indicate a truck may have backed into the fire hydrant. It was also not clear how much damage may have been caused as a result of the geyser and mudslide.
