A semi-truck hit a fire hydrant on the corner of Taft Street and California Boulevard at about 11 a.m. this morning. No one was injured.
The hydrants are designed to break away when a vehicle hits them, so a geyser of water shot up and remained steady for about 30 minutes, according to Water Distribution Supervisor Marcus Henderson.
The side of California Boulevard was flooded up to the intersection of Stafford Street and California Boulevard. The semi-truck that hit the hydrant pulled off to the side of the road, with seemingly no damage, and eventually drove off at about 11:35 a.m.
The geyser of water dwindled down and was shut off about 45 minutes later by the Water Distribution workers. If the hydrant is not broken, it can easily be bolted back on, according to Henderson.
Less than ten men were working to shut the water off and the flow of traffic did not appear impacted, except for the lane closure on California Boulevard due to construction on the other side of the street. The flood continued to drain and dry up.