Detroit residents woke up to a surreal sight this week after a massive 54-inch water main burst, flooding streets before freezing overnight in the bitter cold. Cars were trapped under thick layers of ice, sidewalks turned into skating rinks, and a neighborhood that looked more like a winter-themed museum exhibit than a functioning city street.
The water main break occurred in the southeast part of Detroit, sending torrents of water into the streets before temperatures plummeted well below freezing, effectively locking everything in place. Emergency crews had to use inflatable boats to navigate the floodwaters, rescuing about 200 stranded residents before the deep freeze set in.
“It took a couple of hours to shut it off,” explained one Reddit user familiar with the situation. “And yes, they did eventually stop it.” But by then, the damage had been done.
Once the water froze, the aftermath was stunning—if not entirely practical. Vehicles were completely encased in ice, their windows frosted over, their tires frozen solid to the pavement. One Redditor compared it to The Day After Tomorrow, saying, “This looks like a movie set.” Another user joked, “Mildly infuriating? This is EXTREMELY infuriating.”
While residents are understandably frustrated, some found humor in the situation. One commenter suggested, “If it keeps freezing, we might as well turn the whole street into an ice-skating rink.” Another added, “If only I could actually skate… I’d probably just fall and hit my face on one of those frozen cars.”
With the Great Lakes Water Authority working to repair the broken main, city officials estimate it could take two weeks to restore normal water service. In the meantime, crews are working to break up the ice and clear the streets, though warmer temperatures could bring a new round of flooding as everything melts.
For now, residents are left to marvel at their own frozen neighborhood, where even the most dedicated ice scraper won’t be freeing those cars anytime soon.
