Minneapolis, MN
Water Main Break Floods Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis – Minneapolis Today
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A water main break at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in south Minneapolis sent water pouring through multiple floors on Thursday, disrupting normal operations and forcing delays and cancellations of some scheduled surgeries. Hospital staff and utility crews worked quickly to contain the leak and assess the damage in clinical areas.
Why it matters
As a major teaching and referral hospital in south Minneapolis, any disruption to Abbott Northwestern’s operating rooms and emergency services is significant, especially given the hospital’s heavy surgical caseload. The incident comes as Allina Health is in the midst of a campus revitalization project to boost operating capacity later this year.
The details
According to KARE 11, water flowed through three floors of the hospital and ‘the issue is impacting portions of the ER and OR,’ with some scheduled surgeries delayed or canceled. Crews were on site working on repairs, but it was not yet clear how long those repairs might take or whether any patient care had been moved off-site.
- The water main break occurred on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
The players
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
A major teaching and referral hospital in south Minneapolis that handles a heavy load of surgical cases.
Allina Health
The healthcare system that owns and operates Abbott Northwestern Hospital, which is in the midst of a campus revitalization project to boost operating capacity.
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What’s next
Further updates are expected as repair work continues and damage assessments wrap up. KARE 11 reported that it has reached out to Abbott Northwestern and plans to share additional details once they are available.
The takeaway
This incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining a hospital’s infrastructure, as even an unseen water main break can disrupt vital medical services and patient care. It also underscores the need for healthcare systems to invest in resilient facilities that can withstand unexpected infrastructure failures.
Extreme Heat Warning
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One person is dead and eight others are hurt in a string of weekend shootings across Minneapolis.
Police say the first shooting occurred Friday around 5 p.m. near North Humboldt and 26th avenues. A man was outside of his home when shots rang out, leaving him with multiple gunshot wounds.
Around 9:35 p.m. Friday, two men were shot outside in the area of north Lowry and Logan avenues.
Just after 12:30 a.m. Saturday, a man was found shot in an alley near Mortimer’s Bar and Restaurant off South Lyndale and Franklin avenues. He told police he was outside walking when he was hit.
Just before 12:50 a.m. Saturday, police say a man outside was shot near North Penn Avenue, just north of Highway 55, by someone driving by.
Around 1:50 a.m. Saturday, a man suffering from gunshot wounds showed up at Hennepin Healthcare, with police later determining he was shot in the area of North Lyndale and 45th avenues.
Just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday, a man showed up to Children’s Minneapolis hospital with a gunshot wound he said occurred when he was asleep inside his vehicle.
On Sunday around 1 a.m., a man was found laying on the ground near Bloomington Avenue and East 24th Street. He was brought to Hennepin Healthcare where he later died. Police say investigators “located evidence of gunfire, including a firearm recovered next to the man who died.”
On Sunday just before 1:30 a.m., a 15-year-old girl was shot in the area of Hennepin and Laurel avenues in downtown. Two boys, ages 14 and 15, were soon arrested in connection to the shooting.
And just before 1:50 a.m. Sunday, a man was found shot inside a business off Northeast Lowry Avenue and Fourth Street Northeast. Investigators believe the shooting began as an altercation in the business’s parking lot.
With the exception of the shooting of the 15-year-old girl, police say no arrests have been made in any of the cases. All surviving victims have injuries described by police as non-life threatening.
Anyone with information on any of these shootings can submit an anonymous tip online to Crime Stoppers, or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
A shooting in north Minneapolis injured a man near Penn Avenue.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers responded to a shooting near the 700th block of Penn Avenue North, where they found a man with a gunshot wound.
Authorities said preliminary information shows that the man was outside when the shooting happened, possibly coming from a vehicle. A nearby hospital treated the man for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police are still investigating, with a forensic team collecting evidence from the scene. Officers said no arrests have been made.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
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