GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.,–Crews will work into the night Friday to pump an estimated 500 thousand gallons of water out of the private parking ramp at the corner of Louis and Ionia.
It all started around 11a.m. when a pipe burst and flooded the 15-20 cars inside. The gas from the cars started leaking, causing a vapor to develop. 77 Monroe Center and Louis Benton Steakhouse across the street were evacuated because of the tunnel that connects the parking garage to those buildings.
Clear Channels, WOOD Radio runs out of that building and an employee says he could smell gas on the lower levels. A wedding reception planned in the building also had to be moved to the BOB due to the evacuation.
Around 7:00pm Friday, Consumers shut of power to the two buildings and crews were able to start pumping the water out. Ten tankers were brought in and crews say they will likely be working into the morning on Saturday.
They will then have to get into the structure to power wash it before they can bring tow trucks in to start getting the cars out. Several of the cars belong to Clear Channel employees and there were even some radio station cars inside.
