SEVERAL homes and a doctors' surgery were flooded out today after a water main burst caused traffic chaos in Weymouth.
Police, firefighters and Wessex Water were called to Chalbury Corner in Preston Road, Weymouth, at about 4.30am after a 12-inch main trunk burst.
Police say the incident is likely to cause disruption to Weymouth's roads, leaving Preston Road completely closed in both directions for the next two or three days between Chalbury Corner and Wyke Oliver Road.
A Dorset Fire and Rescue spokesman said the burst happened near the telephone exchange.
Fire engines from Weymouth, and the service's environmental support unit from Gillingham, were called to help pump water away from the scene.
They were alerted to alarms ringing at the exchange by a local resident and Wessex Water were called to attend.
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After checking the telephone exchange, fire crews began helping with salvage operations in surrounding houses, the spokesman said.
A Dorset Police spokesman said the incident was a significant' burst water main problem which had flooded a number of properties and the local doctors surgery, Preston Road Practice.
The incident is the second large water burst to hit the same area in the past eight months.
In September 2007 around 60 homes were left without water after the similar burst of a
12-inch main at Chalbury Corner.
At the time Wessex Water said it had no idea what caused the burst.
Today diversion signs are in place along Preston Road and drivers are being asked to use Littlemoor Road as an alternative route on to Dorchester Road.
Fire crews and police were still at the scene several hours later this morning.
Posted by: Fabian, Weymouth on 11:30am Tue 15 Apr 08
The disruption to traffic is one thing, but the damage to local homes is much worse. Presumably the cause of these burst mains is being investigated? This is the third time it has happened in the last year, luckily all in the early hours of the morning. What if it were to happen in the middle of the day, with people on the roads and pavements?
The disruption to traffic is one thing, but the damage to local homes is much worse. Presumably the cause of these burst mains is being investigated? This is the third time it has happened in the last year, luckily all in the early hours of the morning. What if it were to happen in the middle of the day, with people on the roads and pavements?
Posted by: The Fish, Weymouth on 3:13pm Tue 15 Apr 08
John Holmes wrote "Took me an hour to get out of town this morning. What a pathetic road system we have to endure on a daily basis! Truly woeful!"
Its only going to get worse if the Ferry Terminal development gets the go ahead - another 200+ cars in the centre of Weymouth.
Yet you seem all for the proposed development of houses in this area!
John Holmes wrote "Took me an hour to get out of town this morning. What a pathetic road system we have to endure on a daily basis! Truly woeful!"
Its only going to get worse if the Ferry Terminal development gets the go ahead - another 200+ cars in the centre of Weymouth.
Yet you seem all for the proposed development of houses in this area!
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