Repairs ongoing at seniors' high-rise evacuated for burst pipes

The day after burst water pipes left about 80 senior citizens out in the cold, the Allegheny County Housing Authority was still working to make their homes habitable again.

The pipe breaks on the fifth floor Monday night created a huge mess in West Mifflin Manor, an eight-story high-rise apartment building.

On Tuesday, residents were still unable to go home.

The Housing Authority confirmed to Channel 11 on Tuesday that a window was left open by a contractor working on a unit. As a result, three water lines froze, busted and flooded the building.

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Almost 24 hours later, floorboards are pulled up and rooms are filled with equipment to repair the mess.

There are dozens of crews from several restoration companies  working around the clock to make sure that residents can return as soon as possible.

Throughout the day, the Housing Authority escorted residents back in to their apartments to get personal items.

In the meantime, some are staying with family or friends. Others were put up in three area hotels.

The housing authority doesn't have an exact timeline of when the situation will be fixed, but an official told Channel 11 that, if everything goes as planned, the earliest some may be able to start moving back in will be Wednesday.

Cox Media Group