Water main break in Middletown Township closes several businesses Thursday

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTXF) - A water main break in Middletown Township closed several businesses, including Sesame Place Thursday.

It was a mess at Woodbourne Road and Route 1 after a water main break just before noon Thursday. Water flooded the area around a TD Bank--leaving homes and businesses with poor pressure, brown water or none at all. All this, in temperatures above 90 degrees.

"When you have a water main break where people aren't able to get the water and stay hydrated that they need it just complicates that even more," Jim McGuire with Middletown Township Emergency Management said.

So hot outside even the work crew's generator caught on fire.

Nearby, Buffalo Wild Wings was closed because they didn't have water. Most of the Oxford Valley Mall was also closed Thursday though Macy's stayed open. Sesame Place across the street had to close its gates. The hope is to be back open Friday morning.

But the real concern is with our most vulnerable. The Attleboro Senior Community with nearly 200 residents and Wood Services with more than 600 developmentally disabled residents with a lack of water. It's running tonight, but still not ready to drink.

Thousands of bottles were brought in and Aqua America is providing thousands of gallons of water in 1,200 gallon tankers. Water that will be used for toilets and bathing.

"We came out here as soon as possible to aid in the providing of water to this whole development," Matt Licci with Aqua America said.

It was all hands on deck in this heat and a team effort to keep residents in their homes.

Officials urge all guests impacted by the early closure to visit sesameplace.com for refund information and future updates.