Water Line Strike Causes Chaos in Irmo Neighborhood
Irmo, South Carolina, was rocked recently by an unexpected incident that turned a routine fiber optic cable installation into a chaotic morning for residents. This curious misadventure was all triggered when a crew began their work on Willow Bend Court, but soon found themselves facing a problem that erupted right under their feet.
Annette Briggs, a local resident, had started her day like any other. Worrying about the **road work** outside her home, she had plans to head to work when the calm was suddenly shattered. “I’d never seen a road swell up like that before,” she exclaimed, describing how the street morphed dramatically as water came rushing out of the ground after a crew inadvertently struck a water line. Briggs shared how the road rose significantly, developing mounds akin to tiny mountains.
A Surreal Scene
Even amidst the chaos, Briggs decided to leave for work, thinking the situation would be manageable. However, her peace was soon interrupted by a call from a neighbor who warned her about the situation at home. “He said you’re not parking in your driveway tonight,” she laughed, recognizing the inconvenience that lay ahead.
The water line break not only caused a significant **inconvenience** for several homes in the Murraywood neighborhood but also resulted in a temporary loss of water supply for numerous households. The impact of the incident was severe enough to make the streets impassable, leading to a sinkhole developing beneath the road, with several holes appearing along the roadway once the water had subsided.
Work Halted for Assessment
Due to the mayhem, authorities in Lexington County took immediate action by ordering a halt to the fiber optic installation work by Lumos Fiber. A letter issued by the county’s Public Works Department stressed the need to cease operations immediately for public safety, emphasizing the importance of assessing and repairing the damage before any further work could commence. This decision marked yet another setback for the North Carolina-based company, which has faced several issues as it attempts to expand its services into the Midlands.
Only last year in Columbia, Lumos Fiber was halted during their digging activities after causing multiple gas leaks, leading to temporary evacuations for residents. Even after resuming work, they encountered more hurdles over the summer with additional water main strikes.
Living in a War Zone
Ever since the incident, life for Briggs and her housemates has been a juggling act. With the sinkhole at her end of the street, she’s been parking at a neighbor’s place, carefully navigating her way over **upturned gravel** as she carries her work computer back to her house, dodging the potholes left from the water line breach. “I got back (that night) and my entire property was cordoned off,” she recounted, reflecting on the surreal nature of the moment. Parking, even in her front yard, was out of the question.
The incident has led to tangible disruptions in daily life. Since the water line break, ordinary tasks like mail delivery have been thrown into disarray, forcing residents, including Briggs, to embark on a seven-mile trip to pick up their mail from the post office. On top of this, the garbage collection routine has also been impacted due to the inability to access the road.
Repair and Recovery
Curiously, Columbia Water arrived at the scene to analyze the situation, and while they didn’t release specific statements at the time, earlier remarks confirmed that their team would take responsibility for the necessary repairs, attributing the lapse to improper marking of the water line.
Meanwhile, Briggs expressed frustration regarding the situation and the lack of communication from both the city and the internet provider since the road was effectively destroyed. “They ruined a big pretty butterfly bush I had in my yard,” she lamented, wishing someone would help replace it.
As repairs continue on Willow Bend Court, Annette and her neighbors are left dealing with the aftermath of this tumultuous day, hoping for a quick resolution that brings their peaceful neighborhood back to normal.
