Crews are working on a water main break in Boston's North End, and repairs are expected to last for most of the day.
The 12-inch water main break occurred at the intersection of Salem and Prince Streets just before 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Twenty properties have been affected.
The basement of the building in front of the break was flooded, and the owner says some of his tenants were rattled by the rupture.
Crews were able to shut the water off in about 20 minutes, and the waters started to recede slowly in this dense and tight-knit neighborhood.
Bova and Sons Bakery has been on the corner for 100 years, and members of the family-owned business watched as big rats went running from the water.
The Water and Sewer Commission is making good progress, but they are asking people to avoid the neighborhood until they're done.
