A section of road between Glenwood Avenue and McKinley Avenue was cordoned off for construction crews.  

The Youngstown Department of Public works cited "emergency sewer and water line repairs" as the reason for the closure.

Residents of the surrounding community tell 21 News, they've been living with the problem for days. Homeowners said raw sewage has been leaking into their basements since Friday. On Tuesday, their gas lines were shut off.

The mayor and City Councilman Mike Ray visited one of the hardest hit streets Tuesday evening, speaking to residents about the issue.

Edward Kalosky II, who lives on North Whitney Avenue, says it has been a nightmare. Kalosky says his basement has flooded with sewage multiple times since Friday.

"I fell down the steps because of the water- it was four foot deep. I called the waste management because there was tampons, diapers, and poop like everywhere," said Kalosky.

Department of Public Works Deputy Director, Chuck Shasho, explains the root of the problem is a large break in the sewer and water lines on Mahoning Avenue which caused a sinkhole.

"We haven't been able to determine exactly what happened first, nor how long the void was under there. There's no way to tell in these situations it's kind of scary when these holes open up. There's really no way to tell until it opens up unfortunately," said Shasho.

Shasho said that Tuesday's rain made the problem worse, so pumps have been draining the extra water.

He said that the pumps should bypass the sewer line break until it's fixed hopefully within about a week. They are still trying to figure out where the line is broken and how much pipe will need to be replaced.

But Kalosky, who is handicapped, has been frustrated that it has taken so long for city officials to help the neighborhood.

"What am I supposed to do now? I ain't got no heat," said Kalosky. "She lost all her clothes. I lost most of my clothes, everything is shot. They don't help nobody and we're disabled."