Water Main Break In Back Bay Disrupts Morning Traffic

A water main break in Boston has flooded a busy street, forced the evacuation of several buildings and caused major commuter headaches.

The Boston Water and Sewer Commission says the break was reported just before 10 p.m. Monday when a 16-inch main ruptured near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Exeter Street in the city's Back Bay section.

Crews were digging into the streets to repair the water line, but the commission called it a "painstaking process" because of a natural gas pipeline above the ruptured water pipe.

Six nearby buildings had been evacuated due to water in the basements. Police closed the intersection to traffic and it remained closed on Tuesday morning.