Water from NW Side furniture store sprinkler pipe causes icy roads and several wrecks

A Northwest Side furniture store left their sprinklers on overnight, causing iced over roads and at least three crashes. A Northwest Side furniture store left their sprinklers on overnight, causing iced over roads and at least three crashes. Photo: Caleb Downs Photo: Caleb Downs Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Water from NW Side furniture store sprinkler pipe causes icy roads and several wrecks 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

Water from a sprinkler pipe in front of a Northwest Side furniture store spilled over the road, causing ice and at least four crashes, police said.

Police initially said Louis Shanks Furniture, located near Huebner Road and Interstate 10, left their sprinklers on, causing a patch of frozen water to form on the I-10 access road right after the De Zavala Road exit.

However, Michael Forwood, one of the store's owners, said a recent vehicle crash on the business' property had torn up grass and brought a pipe closer to the surface, which then burst in the freezing temperatures.

"We didn't have the sprinklers running," he said. "Because the yard got trenched the pipe was closer to the surface and wasn't protected. The Freeze burst the pipe and as soon as it was brought to our attention we shut off the water that went to that pipe."

The first crash caused by the ice occurred around 7 a.m., and at least three others have followed.

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In one of the crashes, a driver lost control and smashed into the side of a VIA bus. Police said there were no passengers on board and everyone involved is okay.

Police officers on scene who initially said the business left sprinklers on did not know whether it is a violation of city ordinances for businesses to leave sprinklers on overnight in freezing weather.

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The De Zavala Road exit from I-10 is now closed, and will remain so until the ice clears, police said. The access road itself is still open, however.

Sgt. James Lint said police closed down the exit ramp because drivers were coming off the highway, maintaining their speed and spinning out.

"They've been very lucky as far as missing medians, telephone poles and everything else," he said.

At least eight police units have responded to the icy road and have had to get out of their cars to physically motion to drivers to slow down.

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Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns