Detroit water main break: What officials are saying

Detroiters saved by front end loader after massive water main break

Five people -- including three children -- were saved on Monday as they were carted out of the frozen water main break in a front end loader.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Close to 200 homes in southwest Detroit are underwater and frozen after a nearly 5-foot water main burst amid freezing temperatures Monday morning.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) has been on scene near Beard and Rowan since early Monday morning, along with other Detroit authorities. The water main broke early in the morning and flooded the neighborhood with several feet of water in the streets, sidewalks, and basements.

In some areas, vehicles were nearly completely covered by water. Trash was littered throughout the neighborhood as the water knocked over trash and recycling containers.

The city is advising anyone with damage to their home or is in need of temporary shelter due to the water main break should call 313-774-5261.

What they're saying:

Director Gary Brown said he's never seen anything like this.

"I've been running DWSD for 10 years now, and we've never had a water main break this large in a densely populated neighborhood," he said.

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), which oversees water and sewerage in southeast Michigan, said they're in the area as well to help with clean up and said around 11:30 that they isolated the break.

According to the GLWA, pipe was a steel pipe originally built in the 1930s and burst at Beard and Rowan.

Water levels have started to recede in the area.

The impacted areas stretch from Chatfield to Lafeyette (north and south) and Lewerenz to Solvay.

GLWA Field Service Crews and contractors are on the scene to isolate the break. They'll also be working with the DWSD to coordinate a response.

The city is advising anyone with damage to their home or is in need of temporary shelter due to the water main break should call 313-774-5261.

Big picture view:

As the fire department and police officers arrived to help out, residents were walking out carefully on the iced-over sidewalks.

At least one family was seen being taken out of the water in the bucket of a front end loader.

Another man was trapped on the roof of his car and the fire department had to lower a ladder from the bridge above him to get him to safety.

Detroit firefighters rescue driver from roof of car

A Detroit driver who didn't recognize how much water and ice had taken over southwest Detroit had to be rescued from the roof of his car on Monday.

Crews were working to clear out storm drains to help try to get the water and ice flowing out of the streets.

Detroiters rescued from flooding after water main break

Over 200 Detroit homes were surrounded by an icy river on Monday after a water main broke early in the morning. Many had to be rescued from their homes.

What's next:

A 2 p.m. press conference is set for Monday where officials will deliver an update on the water main break.

FOX 2 will stream the update live on this page when it starts.