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Water leak at police HQ forces prisoner evacuation

Forty-five prisoners were evacuated from holding cells at Philadelphia Police Headquarters on Sunday after a pipe burst in the ceiling, police said. No injuries were reported.

Forty-five prisoners were evacuated from holding cells at Philadelphia Police Headquarters on Sunday after a pipe burst in the ceiling, police said. No injuries were reported.

Water began gushing from a line connected to the sprinkler system in the building at Eighth and Race Streets just before 6:30 p.m.

Officers moved the prisoners - many of whom had been charged with offenses over the holiday weekend - to cells at Ninth District headquarters near North 21st and Hamilton Streets.

Firefighters had plugged the leak by Sunday night, police said. - Jeremy Roebuck