OXNARD : Collapsing Water Tank Creates Havoc

A wall of water from a collapsing water tank near Oxnard on Wednesday damaged an office building, knocked down a brick wall and pushed a van 30 feet into a fire hydrant, authorities said.

The 210,000-gallon tank, owned by the Vineyard Mutual Water Co., collapsed at 6:20 p.m. near the intersection of Vineyard Avenue and Lambert Street north of the Oxnard city limits, said a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department.

The deluge also ripped out several trees near the water tank and caused a minor traffic jam as motorists attempted to avoid the unexpected flooding, she said.

Also damaged in the incident were three businesses in nearby buildings, the spokeswoman said. “It was really something,” she said of the accidental deluge.