Downtown Pittsburgh hotel’s sub-basement floods with 6-8 feet of water

PITTSBURGH — Water filled the sub-basement of a hotel in downtown Pittsburgh after a water main broke early Wednesday morning.

The water began flooding into the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel at the corner of Sixth Street and Fort Duquesne Boulevard about 2 a.m., officials said. The sub-basement filled with about 6-8 feet of water, which nearly reached the ceiling.

Some water also made its way through the basement walls of the neighboring Byham Theater, but that building did not flood, a firefighter said.

Crews from the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority were called to locate the break, which was determined to have happened in a 12-inch line in an alley, while firefighters pumped water from the hotel’s sub-basement. A fire hydrant was opened to relieve water pressure.

Operations at the hotel were not significantly impacted. Officials said the building might be experiencing low water pressure. Guests did not need to be evacuated.

RAW: Water main break leads to flooding in sub-basement of Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel

©2021 Cox Media Group