A Twickenham business owner whose shop and flat was engulfed by a 50ft stream of water from a burst water main has described his ordeal as a ‘nightmare’.
Edwin Doran, who owns the property where Peacock Travel Tours operates from, watched helplessly as the water spewed out of the water main yesterday morning and poured into the listed building via the chimney and flooded the basement.
Mr Doran told SW Londoner that he is waiting for the full extent of the damage to be assessed today.
He said: “The burst of water was so high water came down the chimney which is above 50ft.
“The basement has several feet of water – it’s just a nightmare.”
A305 King Street Twickenham now blocked E/B due to the burst water main, police are on scene directing traffic pic.twitter.com/HI0rim2oa3
— TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) October 6, 2014
Several Twickenham businesses and shops have been forced to shut after a Thames Water contractor accidentally hit a pipe flooding the streets.
A Thames Water spokesman said: “We’re really sorry to people and businesses affected by the burst pipe. “Our workers damaged it by accident while carrying out another job and we’ll be doing everything we can, as fast as we can, to put things right.
A305 King Street Twickenham there’s a burst water main near Cross Deep – please approach with caution pic.twitter.com/8DbPYhUptT
— TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) October 6, 2014
London Fire Brigade was on the scene clearing away the water and putting down sandbags while the police re-directed traffic away from the blocked eastbound road yesterday.
