HOBOKEN, N.J., March 30 (UPI) -- Hoboken, N.J., a city battered by Superstorm Sandy, was hit this week by three water main breaks in two days.
Residents were advised to boil their water, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The first and largest break occurred early Thursday. Steven Goudsmith, a spokesman for United Water, said water flooded basements for a block around and created a sinkhole big enough to swallow a vehicle.
"It looked like everywhere was flooding," said Humberto Gunn, a graphic designer and neighborhood resident. "People had just started storing stuff in the basement again."
Later Thursday, a construction contractor hit a 30-inch main six blocks away. The third break, on Friday, affected only one building.
Goudsmith said both of Thursday's breaks were fixed by the end of the day. He said United Water hoped to lift its advisory Saturday.
The breaks affected water pressure in Hoboken and neighboring Jersey City, where a 24-inch main broke Wednesday.
Hoboken was once a thriving port and ship-building center. After a period of decline, its location across the Hudson River from Greenwich Village and cheap housing attracted artists and it has since become a largely upscale community.
