Large hot water pipe rupture occurs in Almaty

©Vasily Kozhayev

An accident involving a hot water pipeline has occurred in Almaty at the intersection of Rayimbek Avenue and Nauryzbai Batyr Street, Tengrinews reports from the scene.

The rupture in the pipe releasing streams of boiling hot water and clouds of steam washed through the roadway surface. Part of the road collapsed inwards and the hot water created a boiling pond there.

An accident involving a hot water pipeline has occurred in Almaty at the intersection of Rayimbek Avenue and Nauryzbai Batyr Street, Tengrinews reports from the scene.

The rupture in the pipe releasing streams of boiling hot water and clouds of steam washed through the roadway surface. Part of the road collapsed inwards and the hot water created a boiling pond there.

Municipal services and police all gathered at the scene. Utilities services were trying to pump out the water. The accident blocked the road and a huge traffic jam was formed after the entire intersection of the two streets and sidewalks were flooded with hot water.

According to witnesses, two cars fell into the boiling hole. The driver of one of the cars managed to steer his car out of the hole on his own. The second driver was not so lucky. His Mazda is mostly in good shape, but he himself had to be taken to a hospital, according to some sources, with burns.

According to the acting Chief Engineer of Almaty Heating Network LLP Kairat Shagayev, the rupture occurred at around 11:30 a.m. on February 10.

"The rupture happened in the supply line on the main GM4A line. This line has been in use since 1980. Its lifespan has ended. Four apartment houses, 10 other consumers, one school and two other education institutions have been cut off from the supply," he said.

Shagayev confirmed that the Mazda driver was taken to the hospital. According to him, the man scalded his leg while trying to pull his car out of the pit. Shagaev added that the consequences of the accident were to be eliminated by 1 a.m. on 11 February.

This is not the first such accident in Almaty. Last year in December, a break in a water pipeline caused flooding of Al Farabi Avenue near Nurly Tau residential complex. Tons of water were released causing a large traffic jam.

In August 2014, a water fountain splashed itself out on the road as a result of hydraulic tests on the water pipeline. There too, the pipeline was old, built back in the soviet era.

Writing by Dinara Urazova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

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