Local

Broken hydrant leads to gas station flooding

ACWORTH, Ga. — An Acworth gas station was shut down after a broken fire hydrant caused flooding Thursday morning.

News Chopper 2 flew over Highway 41 as water spewed into the sky from a broken valve. The owner of a nearby Chevron station said the mess could cost him up to $15,000.

"I thought it was the end of the world, for real," Chevron worker Jonathan Jiminez told Channel 2's Sophia Choi.

He said it was 7:15 a.m. when he saw water shooting into the sky.

"All the water started going on top of the roof and from there, the walls caved in from the top," Jimenez said.

Chevron owner Riz Alwani showed Choi the damage inside: a soaked roof, ruined inventory and flooded floors. Cobb County authorities believe it started with a driver who hit the hydrant and took off. The county is investigating.

To prevent more damage, county water crews worked hard to stop the flow.

"We were able to kill the pressure off to the line over there, and then we found the valve to the fire hydrant itself," said Kevin Holland, of the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority.

The broken fire hydrant will be replaced.