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Frigid temps causes broken water lines in mountains

WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Broken water lines caused major problems in the mountains.

Temperatures dipped to minus 10 degrees and never got out of the single digits.

A Rite Aid store remained closed three hours after a water line broke with water still on the floor.

Firefighters used squeegees to push out 2 inches of water after a sprinkler line froze and then broke Tuesday morning.

Across town at the same time, a large line feeding a sprinkler system at a motel burst sending water more than 20 feet in the air.

Within 30 minutes, much of the parking lot looked like a skating rink.

Firefighters said they were surprised by the breaks.

They said normally they have most of their problems as the temperature warms above freezing.