Durham, N.C. — Durham City Hall closed a couple of hours early Thursday afternoon because of a water main break under the adjacent plaza, officials said.

Construction crews working on a nearby street improvement project accidentally ruptured the main, officials said. The break caused City Hall to lose water pressure, which knocked out the building's air conditioning.

City Hall closed at 3 p.m., but all city departments and offices located elsewhere remained on their normal operating schedule.

Customers who planned to pay their utility bills at City Hall were encouraged to make their payments online or to leave their payment in the night depository box on the Mangum Street side of City Hall.

Officials said they expected the main to be repaired Thursday, allowing City Hall to reopen at 8 a.m. Friday and operate on a normal schedule.