Springfield sinkhole: After water main break, Tower Square, Marriott Hotel remain closed Thursday

UPDATE: Eversource announced that power had been restored to Tower Square as of 10 a.m.

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SPRINGFIELD - The morning after a water main break flooded Main Street, work continued at the site of the large sinkhole and Tower Square and the Marriott Hotel remained closed.

The power was off in the building, illuminated only by emergency lighting, and an employee of Tower Square said that the building's basement had water in it as a result of the break.

Main Street and several side streets near the sinkhole are expected to remain closed Thursday. Main Street is closed from Boland Way to Worthington Street, Bridge Street is closed from East Columbus Avenue to Dwight Street, and Bridge Street is closed at Stearns Square.

The water main break around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday sent a small geyser of water up in the middle of the street and then continued pumping enough water to flood the street while the pavement crumbled into the growing hole.

Workers from the Department of Public Works and Clean Harbors Environmental Services worked around the sinkhole. Several large telephone poles had been propped from one side of the sinkhole to the other. Inside, brick walls and old pipes were visible.

As people came downtown to start their workdays, many stopped to take photos of the crater in the road. Thick mud still covered some areas of the sidewalk and wind blew clouds of dirt down the street.

Buildings that had brief power outages Wednesday were all open Thursday, including 1550 Main St., The Dennis Group building and the TD Bank building.

Tower Square and the Marriott were not so lucky. There were reports Wednesday of people being stuck in elevators in the building.

Staff at the Marriott said guests were moved across the street to the Sheraton Hotel when the power went out.

The water has been turned on again in the building, a receptionist said, but staff have not heard any updates about when the electricity will be restored.

Outside the building near the Boland Way entrance to Cambridge College, a fire alarm sounded continuously from the building.

The parking garages were still open.

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