A water main break cut off service to thousands of Somers residents Thursday night and Friday, officials say.

Paul Sipher, who lives in the Heritage Hills community, says he called authorities after seeing water gushing into the street around 10 p.m. Thursday.

Many of the residents within the 2,600-unit community are senior citizens. Overall, the shutdown affected about 5,000 people.

And the break itself flooded a local community center that would normally give out fresh water in such situations.

Town officials opened a school as an alternate shelter. It shuts down at midnight and will reopen Saturday at 6 a.m. for people who still don't have water at home.

Authorities said Friday evening that the repairs were complete, but a boil water notice would be in effect for several days.