Services resuming at MUHC Glen site after major water main break

A water main ruptured near theMcGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Glen siteearly Friday morning, causing the hospital to turn ambulances away, cancel surgeries and tell people to avoid its emergency rooms.

At noon, the issue was resolving, according to hospital officials. Water pressure was returning to the hospital and clinical services were beginning to resume, including at the ERs and for surgeries.

Early Friday, water poured into the street on Dcarie Boulevard and pooledunder the train overpass nextthe hospital.

The burst pipe left thehospital withlow water pressure and no potable water for hours.

WATCH | Pipe bursts near Montreal hospital:

MUHC cancels all surgeries except emergency ones after water main rupture near Glen Site

2 months ago

Duration 1:02

The City of Montreal says the leak has been capped but water pressure at the nearby hospital is still low. The hospital spokesperson says drinking water is being provided to staff and patients.

Any surgery that wasn't an emergency was cancelled or transferred to another hospital. The postponement of surgeries and other medical appointments affects hundreds of patients, according to a hospital spokesperson.

The majority of chemotherapy appointments went on as scheduled.

The water issue affected all MUHC facilities at the Glen site, including the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Cedars Cancer Centre, the Montreal Chest Institute, the Montreal Children's Hospital and the Research Institute of the MUHC.

"Our priority is to ensure the safety of patients and staff at the affected facilities," the hospital's news release said."We are working with the City of Montreal to restore the situation as quickly as possible."

An internal hospital memo obtained by CBCNewssaid bottled water was being delivered andinstructed staff to refrain from using most bathrooms.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area as crews will be working to reopen the stretch ofDcarie Boulevard affected over the weekend. TheCte-des-NeigesNotre-Dame-de-Grce borough expects traffic to be back to normal Monday.