Water pipe break floods parking lots in Tukwila

Crews are trying to figure out what caused an 8-inch "feeder" pipe to a water main in Tukwila to break, flooding local business lots with thousands of gallons of water.

The pipe broke near a car wash and hotel at Strander Boulevard and West Valley Highway around 3:30 a.m. between the 76 station and the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.

"It was just, like, bursting out, just bursting out … going through the drain," said Manu Singh, an owner of the gas station. "I was, like, 'Whoa, that sounds like a fountain over here.'"

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Rick Price said the water was up to the doorsills and hubcaps of some of the cars and trucks in the Marriott parking lot.    

By sunrise, the water was shut off.  As it receded, Seattle Public Utilities crews helped drivers who'd been parked at the Marriott navigate their way out of the flooded lot.

"I've seen it all, but this is a first -- to come out and see a parking lot full of water," said Jamie Allen of Chicago.

Workers cleared out the mud and muck that washed up near the car wash and a backhoe was brought in to get to the root of the problem.

City of Tukwila Emergency Manager Martin Grisham said the break did not affect water service to the area.

Seattle Public Utilities said the pipe was not in use and is a "secondary emergency feeder line" for Tukwila.  The utility company said it was "not that big of a break" even though it flooded a series of parking lots and spilled onto a road.

Grisham said the nearby West Valley Highway was not affected by the water.

Andy Ryan with SPU said it could be a "day or two until we figure out what happened, if we ever do."