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Birmingham Newtown burst water main floods streets | Birmingham Newtown burst water main floods streets |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Cars were left submerged and homes cut off when a burst water main flooded streets in part of Birmingham. | Cars were left submerged and homes cut off when a burst water main flooded streets in part of Birmingham. |
About 100 homes were affected around Wheeler Street in Newtown, West Midlands Fire Service said. | About 100 homes were affected around Wheeler Street in Newtown, West Midlands Fire Service said. |
At least one person and their dog were rescued from their home by boat. | |
Supplier Severn Trent Water said the burst involved "one of its biggest pipes" and it would take a while to reconnect those home now without water. | |
The road has been badly damaged and people are asked to avoid the area. | The road has been badly damaged and people are asked to avoid the area. |
Engineers are on site and have isolated the burst pipe, Severn Trent said. | Engineers are on site and have isolated the burst pipe, Severn Trent said. |
Area operations manager Paul Baldwin said it was one of the largest trunk water mains in the city and was deep, making it "complex" to repair. | |
He said it was difficult to say how long repairs to the badly damaged road surface would take. | |
Severn Trent has apologised to anyone affected and said the "majority" of customers had been reconnected. | |
Staff were also delivering bottled water to those considered the most vulnerable. | |
The firm said the pipe involved was 30in in diameter (76cm). An investigation into the cause of the burst would begin once supplies were fully restored. | |
Police drones were used to assess the extent of the damage and Wheeler Street is currently closed from Farm Street to Markford Walk. | Police drones were used to assess the extent of the damage and Wheeler Street is currently closed from Farm Street to Markford Walk. |