Dam break sends water gushing into backyards

EAST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (WJAR) — Homeowners near Robbins Pond in East Bridgewater were surrounded by water Friday.

The fire department said a broken dam was to blame for the big mess.

Residents of Bixby Drive were surprised to see water rising in their yards.

“It came up like 2 feet in less than 20 minutes, and I thought, 'Was I awake? Did I see it wrong?'" said Lisa Jazon. "Twenty minutes later, it moved up another 2 feet. We ran to the store for sandbags."

The East Bridgewater Fire Department said the flooding happened after a 20-foot section of a privately owned dam gave out early Friday morning.

Water from the Plymouth Street Pond drained into Robbins Pond because of the breach.

Some neighbors were out cleaning up what they could.

About a dozen properties were impacted.

“A lot of water, a lot of water, but it has been like this before a couple of times but never because of that,” one neighbor said.

The flooding also caused parts of Pond Street to be shut down near the boat launch.

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We are told the dam's owner is working to fix the problem.

Neighbors were thankful the flooding wasn’t worse.

“I’m just really glad it is not freezing cold and snowy and rainy and glad that it stayed out of our house. Some of our neighbors weren’t quite as lucky,” Jazon said.

The fire department said parts of Pond Street will remain closed until the water goes down.

The bridge will have to be inspected before it can reopen.