A burst pipe sent a towering geyser of water shooting seven floors high into the air, stunning locals and halting traffic as it turned an ordinary street into a makeshift fountain.

The dramatic rupture happened near a block of flats in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia, on 27th May.

Footage from the scene shows jets of water rocketing upwards as cars try to steer around the chaos and residents step outside to film the moment.

The fountain, estimated by witnesses to reach over 21 metres (69 feet), appeared during scheduled maintenance work on the heating pipeline.

A spokesman for utility provider Energetik said the pipe was being "air fumigated" – a process to remove residual gases and ensure safety – when the rupture occurred.

The spokesman said: "The situation is under control and poses no danger to local residents."

The street was partially closed while emergency crews worked to shut off the flow and assess the damage.

Repairs were completed within hours, and normal service resumed later the same day.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)