Seventeen Homes Flooded as Burst Water Main Turns Southampton Street into River
Emergency services sprang into action this morning after a major water main burst in Southampton, flooding 17 homes and creating a man-made river rushing down a residential street.
Flood Chaos in Hedge End
Shortly after 10am, two fire crews from Hightown, along with teams from Fareham and St Mary’s, rushed to Stanier Way in Hedge End where floodwaters reached up to four feet deep. Specialist environmental and HazMat units from Romsey and Hampshire were called in amid concerns the muddy water could be contaminated.
Station Commander Nigel Cooper from St Mary’s Fire and Rescue said, “The water was deep in areas. It was like a flowing river when crews first arrived. I’d say it was about four-foot deep in places.”
Pensioner Rescued by Fire Service Boat
One elderly resident was trapped and had to be rescued from an upstairs window by fire rescue teams using a boat. Emergency crews spent the morning pumping floodwater out of homes knee-deep in dirty water.
- Seventeen homes affected on Stanier Way, Mallard Gardens, and Old Shamblehurst Lane
- Power and water supply cut off to flooded properties
- Fire crews prevented floodwater from reaching a substation serving 20,000 homes
Water Supply Disrupted for 70,000 Homes Across Region
Contractors from Southern Water shut off the burst main causing a gaping hole in the pavement and street. The outage affected not just Hedge End but also Locks Heath, Sarisbury Green, Park Gate, Swanwick, Whiteley, Fareham, and Curdridge.
A Southern Water spokesperson said, “For a time, approximately 70,000 homes were left without water supply. Thankfully, water was restored to affected homes by 3pm today after a network diversion was made.”
The flood has left many residents shaken but grateful for the quick and coordinated response of emergency services and water crews.
