ELRAMA, Pa. — A water main break that has thousands of households under a boil advisory also seriously damaged a local volunteer fire department’s station.
The 48-inch water line broke just after 11:20 p.m. Friday, directly outside of the Elrama Volunteer Fire Company station, cutting off service to dozens of homes and putting 95,000 Pennsylvania American Water customers under a boil advisory.
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Elrama VFC officials say the break released “an extremely large volume of water with significant force,” which flooded the garage and the inside of the building.
Firefighters were inside the station when the flooding began and initially moved deeper into the building, but as water levels kept rising, they decided to evacuate. Officials say everyone made it out safely.
The damage is not limited to inside the station. Elrama VFC officials say the force of the water caused the roadway to fail and a sinkhole to form.
A firefighter’s vehicle parked outside the station was damaged as the ground collapsed beneath it. Photos posted by the department show a jeep almost entirely covered in water.
At this time, Elrama VFC says the full extent of the damage is being assessed, but the station sustained major water intrusion, structural damage and equipment loss.
For those who want to help firefighters, Elrama VFC provided the following suggestions:
- Bottled water, beverages, food donations, or other donation questions: please message us for drop-off details. For safety reasons, please do not come to the station unless directed.
- Support Elrama VFC through our official merchandise website: elramavfc.com
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