© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Busted water main by Barnes-Jewish Hospital blocks roads, affects hospital power

Joseph Leahy/St. Louis Public Radio

Updated 11:29 a.m. July 5:

A Barnes-Jewish Hospital release says that no surgeries were canceled today, even though power is still intermittent to Queeny Tower. Full power to the building is anticipated to return today.

Most of the patients who were moved to other areas of the hospital are also expected to return to their original rooms Friday. 

Original story:

A broken water main flooded Kingshighway Blvd. outside of Barnes-Jewish Hospital Wednesday afternoon, prompting police to close Interstate 64 eastbound between Hampton Ave. and Kingshighway Blvd. for several hours

The flood erupted below Children's Place Drive around 1 p.m. Kingshighway Blvd. northbound was closed initially after a few cars stalled, failing to pass through about a foot of water.

Hospital spokesman Jason Merrill said some of the water seeped into a sub-basement of Queeny Tower and, as a precaution, the hospital switched to its backup power generators. The broken water line did not not affect the hospital's water supply, he said.

A city worker who declined to give his name said the weather's recent high temperatures may have contributed to the break.