Fire crews rescued 13 people after severe flooding followed a major water feeder main break in northwest Calgary, Canada, on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, triggering road closures and a boil water advisory for several communities.
Emergency responders worked amid heavy water flow beneath a bridge near 16th Avenue, where flooding created hazardous conditions and forced authorities to shut down critical routes.
According to the City of Calgary, as a result of the break, parts of Parkdale, Montgomery, and Point McKay were placed under a boil water advisory.
Officials urged residents in the affected areas to boil tap water before use until further notice, emphasising that the advisory is precautionary while assessments continue.
City officials said it is still too early to determine the exact cause or full extent of the damage, adding, “The flooding underneath the bridge itself is quite heavy. It’s obstructing two of the four lanes on 16th Avenue, but we do have our CPS partners shutting down 16th Avenue in its entirety.”
Police closed the westbound lanes of 16th Avenue between Home Road and Sarcee Trail on Tuesday night and said the closures were expected to remain in place for several hours as crews worked to manage the flooding and assess infrastructure safety.
The incident has raised fresh concerns as investigations continue into what the city has described as a catastrophic feeder main failure.
Ward 1 Coun. Kim Tyers said she felt “absolute shock” upon learning another water main break had occurred in her ward, affecting the Bowness area once again.
Calling the situation “quite dire,” Tyers said she is awaiting more details on the damage and will provide updates to residents through social media as soon as more information becomes available.
