DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A troubling snap of arctic air has left water main breaks throughout metro Detroit including in Dearborn Heights.
On Wednesday, I visited the area of Monroe north of Van Born where I saw vehicles frozen solid in ice. I also asked city leaders what's being done to help tackle the problem.
“Have you seen cars covered in ice like that?" I asked Cheryl Fritz, whose vehicle was frozen.
"Not like that. Have you?” she said.
In the thick of the extreme cold streak, I found homeowners like Fritz struggling with vehicles that have been blanketed in ice.
The city of Dearborn Heights said their crews have been battling numerous water main breaks at the worst time, and they've been responding quickly.
Related Video: Check out the vehicles covered in ice below
“We’re fixing them as quickly as they can be identified and we’re having two to three a night right now," Paul VanderPlow, with the city, said.
In this case, a Chevy SUV and a Ford pickup truck appeared literally stuck in the ice. It was not a warm welcome.
VanderPlow oversees operations for the city and said they'll be freeing the vehicles with heavy equipment, then towing them away to a warming center. Their goal is to get them running again without any issues.
“We’re chipping them out and working with our tow company to have them warmed up, defrosted and given back to residents. This is why the mayor has been so adamant about revamping our infrastructure and water mains," he said.
Related Video: Why do we see more water main breaks in the winter?
With temps expected to rise later this week, Fritz is hoping for brighter days and warmer feelings. She's thankful for the city helping and hoping Mother Nature puts the brakes on the water main breaks.
“We talked to the director and they’re going to help, which I appreciate a whole lot," Fritz said.
The city said below-freezing temperatures can impact the speed of repairs, but they continue to work around the clock.
Related Video: Water main break turns streets into ice on Detroit's west side
