HOUSTON – Several businesses are flooded in northwest Houston after a big rig accident.
"It's a mess out here," said one witness.
An 18-wheeler attempting to make a U-turn on Hempstead highway near Windfern smashed into a fire hydrant and then took off. Water immediately began bubbling out of the ground and had no where else to go but into a nearby business park.
"When I got here, there was just a little bit of water here," said Jeanne Canales.
A little bit quickly turned into a lot and it wasn't long before the fast rising waters began threatening businesses.
"We're just going to lift stuff up off the ground as it comes in the back door if it gets high enough. We'll try to save ourselves from being a casualty," Troy Hargrove said.
There was so much water, business came to a screeching halt.
"I still have to do a pick up. I don't know what I'm going to do now," said Pablo Liberotti.
"It's going to hurt customers. We can't get it to then. We can't get appliances wet," Troy Carr said.
City crews worked frantically to isolate the line so they could fix the break. By that time water was already creeping into the garages of a couple of homes.
"It's very disgusting. The house is flooding. It's flooding.", Jesus Ramirez said.
Crews are busy pumping all the water out of the area where the hydrant is located. They have to do this in order to isolate the line and repair the damage. The driver of the 18-wheeler could be held liable for all the damage.