A water main break in New York City caused evening commute hysteria Wednesday as a surge of brown water poured into a West Village subway tunnel sending travelers scrambling for cover and a different route home. The 12-inch water main broke around 6:45pm at 13th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, reports CBS New York, shutting down three train lines in both directions. As crews scrambled to stem the flow and get to the bottom of the leak, unamused New Yorkers whipped out cell phones to capture the rare sight of an underground deluge on video. Deluge: A water main break sent brownish water cascading down through the roof of a Manhattan subway tunnel on Wednesday . Rush hour: The break occurred in the West Village before 7pm while the evening rush was still going strong . It wasn't clear what caused the break. Video footage shows water flooding onto the subway tracks as stranded straphangers look on. Around 500 riders were soon forced out of the subway. Officials said there was no 1, 2 or 3 train service in both directions between Chambers Street and Times Square/42nd Street. The water also inundated the street corner where the break occurred and can be seen lapping at a West Village convenience store in overhead footage taken at the scene. Firefighters told CBS2 that as much as 2 feet of murky water, more than enough to reach the electrified third rail, had accumulated in some places before the water began to recede. That came around 8:40pm when the water main was shut off so the water could finally drain away. Snarled: The break also affected things at street level, where seas of city water threatened businesses and snarled city traffic . The main break also forced utility workers to shut off steam service to some businesses in the area and a major hospital . Firefighters told CBS2 that as much as 2 feet of murky water, more than enough to reach the electrified third rail, had accumulated in some places before the water began to recede . The official New York City Transit Subway Twitter account posted pictures starting around 9pm showing crews working toward getting the the water pumped out. However, it remained unclear whether the break would be affecting service during the morning rush hour Thursday. According to CBS2, the nearby Lenox Hill Healthplex was experiencing problems stemming from the break. 'Steam has been disconnected from the hospital – it is affecting the hospital with that utility at this point,' FDNY Battalion Chief John Porretto said. Residential buildings in the area remained largely unaffected. The official New York City Transit Subway Twitter account posted pictures starting around 9pm showing crews working toward getting the the water pumped out . Fingers crossed: It remained unclear whether the repair work would be completed in time for the morning commute .
The 12-inch main broke in Manhattan before 7pm and send water cascading onto tracks .
Some 500 riders were immediately evacuated from the West Village subway tunnel and thousands more affected by delays .
The water also inundated the street corner where the break occurred and can be seen lapping at a West Village convenience store .