Chicago Home Surrounded By Ice After Broken Water Pipe Goes Unfixed

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The cold weather combined with a broken city water pipe is making it tough for one family to get in and out of their own house.

CBS 2 got the call from a viewer who told us ice surrounds the front of the house in the 600 block of West 87th Street.

CBS 2's Mike Parker reports if you have to walk along West 87th Street and Union, tread very carefully. Part of this block is Chicago's version of Ice Station Zebra.

Every day Kenneth Colbert tries in vain to clear more of the ice and frozen slush from the sidewalk in front of his house. In spots the stuff is three to six inches thick. And the street is no picnic for cars either given the ice and the ruts.

Colbert blames a broken city sprinkler that flooded the street and sidewalk in August then turned into this polar vortex nightmare,

"I've called the city so many times. When I talked to them today, I told them I guess I have to call Channel 2 News so I can get something done," said Colbert.

CBS 2 called the city Water Department and were told there was an inspector here two weeks ago. They promised this will be cleaned up and made safe within the next two days.