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Explosive water main break rains debris on Ogden neighborhood

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OGDEN, Utah — A water main break caused a large volume of water and debris to fall onto homes on Simoron Drive in Ogden Monday.

“I went into panic mode,” said David Pace, a homeowner who watched as the waterfall of mud and debris landed on his home.

Moments before the break, David Pace was in his backyard.

“I heard 'kaboom' and I was like 'what is that?',” Pace said.

That's when he saw the water shooting up from the ground and had to dodge the debris coming down.

“It was raining rocks and asphalt. It was ridiculous,” Pace said.

The noise echoed throughout the neighborhood and many came out, including the homeowner next door to Pace who watched helplessly as others tried to calm him down.

“He was upset, very upset,” said Jennie Knudson, shot video of the break. “The poor guy - I was trying to calm him down.”

Crews were on scene within 20 minutes but neighbors say the water didn't stop flowing for an hour and caused flooding several yards.

Pace said he frustrated because he told Ogden City officials about an area with sinking asphalt multiple times last year.

“It was like going on deaf ears and it took this to happen for them to actually do something,” Pace said.

FOX 13 reached out to Ogden Water but has not heard back. Their website says 50% of the city's pipe system was installed more than 50 years ago. Crews told the neighbors affected by Monday's water main break it was a rusted pipe that burst.