More than 100 people had to flee their homes before dawn yesterday when a huge water main burst on one of London’s busiest streets.
The 36-inch-wide pipe split open at around 4am in Upper Street, Islington, sending thousands of gallons cascading into homes and businesses and causing millions of pounds of damage.
The flood, one of the worst in London in recent years, closed a 500-metre stretch of the A1 between Angel Tube station and Islington Green, bringing transport chaos at the height of the rush hour. Dramatic images on social media showed scenes “like a disaster movie” with torrents of water flowing into the upmarket shopping and dining district around Camden Passage.
The flooding also hit Charlton Place, Devonia Road and Colebrooke Row, where houses sell for £2.5mn, with residents of around 50 homes sent to the Steam Passage Tavern. Homes rapidly filled with up to six feet of water.
Homeowners Stuart Rock and his wife Jo Willett were woken by a bang at the door from the fire brigade. The couple discovered water pouring into their basement, flooding their kitchen and sitting room.
Rock, 56, and Willett, 55, managed to save a sofa and TV before their kitchen and living room was entirely submerged. Water levels of five feet swamped the bottom floor of their town house in Devonia Road.
Rock said: “The worst moment so far was the terrible noise of the back doors caving in — whoosh — and you know that’s it.”
He continued: “It’s just monstrous — one of those times you think ‘well, what are we going to do?’ It’s like a classic disaster movie. Basically everything you need to run a house has gone. It’s going to take forever to put it right again.”
Lawyer Johanna Maccabe, 40, who has lived in Camden Passage since 1978, said: “I’m very shocked. I’ve never in my life seen anything like it. I was going to go and get my coffee from a cafe down the road but I can’t get there. I’m wondering if it will reach my house.”
Analyst Polly Brown, 35, who lives in Devonia Road, said she saw the devastation unfold at the flat below.
“I saw the garden wall collapse before my eyes. It was at least a 10ft wall. The water flooded in and broke through the glass and straight into the flat after that. All their stuff will be ruined. The firemen tried to get in and stop it in time but they couldn’t. I feel so sorry for them and their tenants, for this to happen just before Christmas is a disaster.”
It is feared that traders’ Christmas stock will have been ruined. Clothes shop Victoria Beau, also in Camden Passage, had only been open for 18 months. Owner Emma Holland, 26, said: “I’m devastated. We got here at 7.30am — we had seen on a tweet the street was flooded. My shop is inaccessible. All the water is running in.
“I have no idea how much it will cost us. We won’t be open today or the rest of the week probably. We’re going to have to assess the damage when the water goes. We’re quite fortunate because ours doesn’t have a basement. The downstairs cafe next door to us will be absolutely full of water.”
She added: “This is a street massively reliant on Christmas footfall, a small business community so it needs to be sorted out quickly or it will have a huge impact. We will be up and running as soon as we can.”
Carl Hufton, 37, manager of the Steam Passage Tavern, was the first to spot the flooding before opening his pub to all those flooded out. He said: “I have deliveries at 5am, so get here to do stock early. It was just after 4am I first saw the water. I thought it was light shimmering and then saw water rushing out and called the fire brigade.
“I thought to open my doors and welcome people in and give teas and coffees and get people warm. We will look after them throughout the day, as long as they need.
“There have been around 50 people here. It was busiest at around 6am, when everyone got evacuated. People were drenched — someone’s socks are still on the radiator. There is a good community spirit here. It’s a friendly area and I’m just doing my bit. I’d like to think if I was flooded someone would help me out.”
A Thames Water spokeswoman said: “We’re really sorry to everyone affected by our burst pipe. We’ve stopped the flow of water and are now planning how best to repair it with as little disruption as possible.
“We don’t expect water supplies to be affected by this work. Our loss adjusters are on their way to support those affected by the flooding with insurance claims and making arrangements for alternative accommodation. We’ll do all we can to get the area back to normal as soon as possible.”
