Watch CBS News

Burst Water Pipe Creates House Of Ice In Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Water from a burst pipe has encased part of a Detroit home in ice.

Jim Sheets recently moved to Detroit from Mexico City and came in search of the home after hearing about the it from a friend.

"She started sending us pictures of a house that was like a waterfall in Detroit and she said 'I wonder if this is close to you?' so we came out to find it, and here we are," said Sheets.

"Amazing. I've never seen anything so incredible in all my life," he said.

Sheets said from the look of the windows - the walls must be covered in ice. "I'm no expert or plumber but that's what it looks like and the windows look like they have ice on the inside of them."

Temperatures in the Detroit area have been below zero, causing the steady flow of water to freeze.

Ice House rail (SDavis)
It's been called the Ice House in Detroit. (WWJ/Stephanie Davis)

 

E.T. Williamson Sr. tells the Detroit Free Press that a pipe on the third floor of the house burst several days ago, causing water to pour through the walls and into the basement.

The 56-year-old Williamson says the basement has three to four feet of water in it.

Williamson says he lost the home in tax foreclosure, but his clothing and other belongings still were inside.

Ice House  Porch (SDavis)
It's been called the Ice House in Detroit. (WWJ/Stephanie Davis)

WJBK-TV reports that the water also flowed down the driveway and into the street before freezing.

A bulldozer was called in to remove thick sheets of ice from the street.

©TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.redistributed.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.