Burlington Mall To Reopen After Water Main Break

BURLINGTON (CBS) -- A water main break closed the Burlington Mall Sunday, snarling traffic and curtailing shopping plans just two weeks before the holidays.

Mall officials tweeted that the leak was in the shopping center's parking lot.

MassDOT said the I-95/Rte. 128 South 32-B off-ramp that leads to the mall had been closed. It was reopened around 3:15 p.m.

During the course of the day, hopeful shoppers were turned away.

Mark Gauvin traveled from Hudson, New Hampshire. He had no idea the mall was closed.

"Every entrance was locked and we finally got in and they said it was going to open at four and now it's not open. Well, it's stinks," Gauvin told WBZ.

The mall initially said it would be open by noon, then by 2 p.m., on Sunday--but Burlington Police later said there was no estimated time for the mall's opening, and asked the public to avoid the area. Later Sunday, the mall announced they are planning to reopen at 9 a.m. Monday.

A similar story for a family that had traveled from Everett.

"We were surprised about it and we thought we were going to be able to shop but no," Dennis Arias said.

"I guess we're gonna head back to Cambridge Galleria Mall," Ana Henriquez added.

Fridah Maakuby and her husband brought all of their children.

"We just wanted the kids to play around the mall. They wanted to go around the mall but unfortunately, we found the mall closed," Maakudy said.

But not everyone showed disappointment. One family came to shop after their daughter won a gymnastics meet.

"We wanted to go to the Disney store to get the kids some princess gowns (laughter), not today," Stephanie Ross told WBZ.

Steven Ross added, "We are going to go someplace else then."