Steamy leak forces closure of city street

A man crossed steamy Batterymarch Street before it was closed yesterday, so that crews could repair a pipe that feeds water in a sprinkler system in a building on the street. (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

Bursts of steam filled the air around Batterymarch Street yesterday morning, forcing the closure of the street for hours after a water pipe broke and the leaking water came into contact with steam lines, authorities said.

The pipe, which feeds water into a sprinkler system in a building on Batterymarch, broke about 10:30 and sent water flowing underground, which turned into steam after hitting the hot steam lines, said officials from the Fire Department and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission.

"It gave the indication of a steam leak, and that's what we first thought we had, but only after we investigated did we find it was a water leak," said Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the Fire Department.

No injuries were reported and no buildings were evacuated, said MacDonald.

The portion of the pipe that broke is part of a property hookup for the building's sprinkler system, said Jeanne Richardson, a spokeswoman for the Boston Water and Sewer Commission. The owner of the building, who Richardson said is responsible for the pipe, hired a contractor yesterday to make repairs.

The water filled four manholes, said MacDonald, but the damage it may have cause was uncertain.

Batterymarch, between Milk and Franklin streets, was closed for nearly five hours as crews worked to pump the water out of the manholes and inspect for damage.

Some of the steam lines are wrapped in insulation containing asbestos, but tests showed that no asbestos was present in the area, MacDonald said.