Overflowing Manhole Creates Ice Rink, Disrupts Food Deliveries in Ridgewood, Queens

Flooded Manhole Creates Hazardous Ice Slick

• 💧 An overflowing manhole in Ridgewood, Queens, has resulted in a continuous flow of water, creating a 4-to-12-inch deep ice slick outside MNV Provisions.
• 🧊 The treacherous ice poses risks to staff, customers, and delivery drivers, especially after a recent snowstorm and deep freeze.

Business Impact and Delivery Disruptions

• 🚚 A tractor-trailer carrying a pallet of eggs became stuck on the ice for three hours, unable to make a delivery.
• 📦 MNV Provisions, a family business distributing ingredients and kitchen supplies, is concerned about disruptions impacting thousands of delis, bodegas, and restaurants across the tri-state area.
• 🚧 The business has attempted to use sandbags to dam the water, but with limited success.

Lack of City Response and Ongoing Concerns

• 🗣️ Owners report that their repeated 311 requests for assistance have gone unanswered for over a month.
• 🏙️ They are frustrated by the lack of response from the city, noting that they are trying to supply food to the city but are facing significant operational problems.
• 🔍 The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) states it is investigating but has not yet determined if the issue is a water main break or another condition.
• 🥶 Without new deliveries, staff worry about the long-term impact on the business if the problem is not fixed, especially as temperatures are expected to remain below freezing.