CRANBERRY TWP — A major waterline break on Route 19 left a trail of debris and backed up traffic Thursday, with crews working into the evening to fix the issue.

The break was reported around noon Thursday in the southbound lanes of the road near the Streets of Cranberry shopping complex. Within minutes, rapid water rushed down Route 19, with a giant pool forming at the intersection of Route 19 and American Way.

Township crews turned off the water flow at main points north and south of the break, and by 1 p.m. more than a dozen workers were on-hand to find and repair the issue. One lane of traffic was maintained, which backed up during the lunchtime rush. Single-lane closures were expected throughout the evening from Dutilh Road past the shopping plaza.

According to Dan Santoro, assistant township manager, crews were still working to determine the cause. He noted such major breaks are not common during the summer months, and are usually associated with the freezing and thawing of the ground in the winter. He added that given the location of the pipe, it was likely older than most in the township.

Jason Dailey, director of public works for the township, said the 12-inch line break affected 10 connections to 32 customers. Most of those were Streets of Cranberry businesses near American Way, although some were also located on National Way. He said a water use advisory was being sent Thursday evening, with precautions in place as testing is conducted.

As crews worked to determine the cause and fix the issue, members of the township's fire department were seen using fire hoses to clear debris from the road and parking lots downstream from the break.

Crews worked throughout the evening to fix the pipe, and township officials said an expected fix would not happen until later in the evening.