CHICAGO (CBS) — City crews freed cars stuck in the ice for days after a water main break in the Albany Park neighborhood.

Residents of the 4800 block of North Drake were frustrated for days as their cars remained stuck in ice.

All attempts to free the trapped vehicles, were futile until today, when crews from the Chicago Department of Water showed up, suddenly assigned by city officials.

“I just know we were called to do a job and we’re going to do our best to get the job done,” said one city worker.

The bosses did tell CBS 2 that they just got the complaint yesterday, coincidentally when CBS 2 aired the story.

“We’re using a backhoe and we’re using 300 degree thawing machine. (11:50) We have to unthaw all the ice around the tire,” said a city worker.

“I believe it only happened thanks to all of you at Channel 2 News,” Albany Park resident Lenore Joseph told CBS 2’s Dorothy Tucker. “I believe it wouldn’t have happened if the average person would have said something.”

Once the all the cars were freed, city crews moved them down the street.

Then they broke up the ice so they could clear the sewer and any remaining water would drain off.