Water Main Break Leaves Cars Frozen Solid

Image via WDIV/YouTube

People are amazed, even amused to see a couple of cars in Dearborn Heights, Michigan were encased in at least an inch of ice after a water main broke on a residential street. While the break made the street itself an ice skating rink, trapping residents in the homes until crews repaired the break and removed the ice on the road, freeing the vehicles was a bit more of a challenge.

The Ultimate Guide to Safely Driving in the Snow

The crews first had to chip away at the ice encased on the street right up to the tires, something they had to do by hand instead of with a front loader. That was back-breaking work, but they eventually did it, allowing the heavy machinery to pick up the cars and move them.

Some people openly wondered if the ice would ruin the vehicles, making it so they couldn’t drive ever again. The answer is of course no. Automakers test new models in extreme heat and cold to ensure they can operate in those kinds of conditions.

But to get the cars to where you can get inside them, let alone fire up the engine again, requires removing the ice that’s encased the bodies. The best way to do that is to tow them to a warming center where the ice melts off. After all, trying to chisel it off could break a window or mar the body panels.

In all the excitement around this story, people seem to forget this sort of thing does happen from time to time, usually around lakes in particularly cold areas. For example, just last year some cars parked by Lake Erie in Hamburg, New York were frozen solid.

Back in 2020 some cars parked in Chicago next to Lake Michigan suffered a similar fate as incredibly cold temperatures and surging waves combined to trap them. There are many other examples out there, mostly with people parking next to lakes before a big winter storm.

Image via WDIV/YouTube

By Steven Symes

Steven Symes is an accomplished automotive journalist with a passion for all things related to cars. His extensive knowledge and love for the automotive world shine through in his writing, which covers a diverse range of topics.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *