Water leak sinks Leiden houseboat

A houseboat on Oegstgeesterweg in Leiden is sinking due to a leak. Despite enormous effort by the fire department, the house boat can not be saved, the fire brigade said on Twitter on Monday morning. The family living in the houseboat got out unharmed, NU.nl reports.

The fire department started pumping water out of the houseboat around 5:50 a.m. on Monday. But the water put so much pressure on the houseboat that the shore anchor broke, making the houseboat unstable.

According to the fire department, the cause of the leak is not yet known. The Telegraaf reports it was caused by a burst water pipe.

The fire department is working with the houseboat owners' insurance company and a recovery company on an action plan to salvage the houseboat.