Flooded house in Far Rockaway

From CBS 2:

Some homeowners in Far Rockaway, Queens were able to begin drying out their flooded basements Tuesday night, after a service line of gushing water in an abandoned house was shut off.

As CBS 2’s Tony Aiello reported, the residents said they got nowhere with the city until they called CBS 2.

Some residents were stuck sloshing through standing water in their basements for days, all because of the broken water pipe at the house next door.

“I’m frustrated. It’s terrible,” said Junius Crawford of Far Rockaway. “Something should have been done by some city agency, and nothing is happening so far.”

The water feed line at 329 Beach 29th St. broke, filling the basement with countless gallons of water.

The water went on to spill out, following the path of least resistance into the street and neighboring homes.

And why didn’t the homeowners fix the broken pipe?

“He packed up a truck and he left,” said neighbor Maria Scott.

Scott said her neighbor abandoned his house last summer, saying he could no longer afford it after being hit hard by Irene and Superstorm Sandy.

She and others called 311 repeatedly, trying to get the water shut off.

The DEP said it was rushing to get to the house causing the flooding as soon as it could. Neighbors on Tuesday were just glad the rushing water had finally stopped.

Neighbors also want the Department of Buildings to check the abandoned house for structural damage, given the amount of pressure the water in the basement put on the foundation.