UC Berkeley

Ruptured Hydrant From Crash Floods UC Berkeley Dorms, Displaces 20 Students

Flooding might be the last thing UC Berkeley students living in hillside dorms might expect, but that’s exactly what happened Saturday after a car crashed into a nearby fire hydrant.

The crash and subsequent gushing water from the ruptured hydrant flooded several dorms in two different buildings on the Berkeley campus and forced a massive evacuation. Twenty students were displaced.

The water gushed uncontrolled for two hours before crews could shut it off.

"I saw water coming in from the staircase, flying down outside the door," freshman Anna Maria said. "They had to keep the doors open. Yeah, it was scary because I thought the dorms would be completely ruined."

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