Four people were assisted to safety and 50 properties were damaged after a 36-inch water main burst caused flooding in Islington this morning (August 8).
The London Fire Brigade was called at 7am after three-foot-deep water submerged Hornsey Road and Tollington Road, Holloway.
Ten fire engines and more than 70 firefighters were involved, and used flood barriers to divert water from houses.
Victoria Sewell, a Hornsey Road resident of over 20 years, said: “I woke up in the morning and went to make myself some tea. I looked outside and all I could see was the water coming up and coming up. I was scared.
“I called my daughter and asked her what to do, I can’t do anything because I can’t swim. The water came right to the door.”
Outside Victoria’s house the water was shin deep and she only kept it from flowing in by putting up a makeshift barrier in the hallway.
Most of the flooding receded by midday and water has been restored to houses in N1, N4, N5 and N7.
Islington Council said: “The council’s housing officers door knocked all ground floor homes on the Harvist estate to check on residents and offer support, though fortunately there does not appear to have been any significant flooding of homes on the estate. Thames Water is assisting private properties that have been affected.
“Council teams have set about the clean-up and are working with Thames Water and other agencies to assess repairs to the road and to plan these in a way that causes as little disruption as possible.”
Emmanuel Holloway church has been set up as the official rest centre for people who have been affected by the floods.
Revd Liz Clutterbuck said: “This road has had many leaks. I’ve lived here for four years and it has been closed to repair leaks four or five times a year. If you look at the junction you can see where it’s been resurfaced. That’s the frustrating thing.”
The Sobell Leisure Centre in Tollington Road is closed for the rest of the day and people are advised to avoid the area until further notice as road closures remain in place.
A water pipe burst on Offord Road two weeks ago and in 2019 a water main burst on Queen’s Drive damaged 177 homes and left thousands of people without water.
Was your property affected? Email charlotte.alt@archant.co.uk
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