Hundreds remain displaced after massive water leak in Wheaton

WHEATON, Md. - Hundreds of people were forced out of their homes in Wheaton Thursday morning after flooding at a grocery store triggered a massive power outage.

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick was outside the Arrive Wheaton apartments as crews work to restore service.

What we know:

Reedie Drive has reopened, but the building remains without power. Alnwick says crews are preparing to connect large generators. 

Officials say code enforcement had been at the property early Wednesday for electrical issues. Later Wednesday morning, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue teams responded to Georgia Avenue and Reedie Drive for a water emergency.

 Flooding in the sub-basement of the mixed-use complex above the Safeway created a major hazard. Utility rooms, mechanical rooms and electrical cabinets were surrounded by nearly six feet of water. After power and utilities were shut off, crews began pumping out about 300,000 gallons.

Nearly 1,000 residents in the 18-story building had to find temporary shelter. County emergency management brought warming buses as crews worked to relocate residents. All the water was pumped out by 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The building has currently been designated "unsafe to occupy."

What we don't know:

The cause of the flooding is still unknown. Officials note there was a dumpster fire at the Safeway loading dock days earlier that activated sprinklers, but it’s unclear if the incidents are related.

READ MORE: Massive water leak, power outages shut down parts of Georgia Ave. in Wheaton