The scene in Fisher Road today
Up to 7,000 people in East Bristol who are still without water after last night’s burst in Fisher Road, Kingswood, were today able to get supplies from bowsers around the district.
People who were evacuated from their homes in Fisher Road were allowed back in late last night to begin the clean-up operation.
When the underground water pipe ruptured it sent floods gushing across the road and into properties.
Fire crews were called to find around 15 homes were directly affected by the water which was knee-deep in parts.
Firefighters in dry suits assisted in the rescue of 17 people from their homes, some of whom were helped to safety using an inflatable rescue raft. Six dogs were also taken to safety by the crews.
The British Red Cross provided support to the evacuees in the nearby Wesley Made-For-Ever Methodist Church Hall.
As staff from Bristol Water worked to isolate the water leak there were concerns that it may have caused damage to an underground gas main and the decision was taken to evacuate around half a dozen homes in a near by cul-de-sac as a precaution.
Just after 9.30pm gas engineers confirmed that the main had not been damaged by the water leak, and fire crews were able to leave the incident in the hands of the local authority and the water board.
The ongoing incident means several schools and businesses in and around Kingswood have been closed today because they are without water.
They included Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, St Stephen’s Infant and Junior schools, Kings Forest Primary, King’s Oak Academy, Beacon Rise Primary, Courtney Primary, The Grange School and Sports College and Warmley Park School, Sir Bernard Lovell School and St Anne’s Primary at Oldland Common, Parkwall Primary, Cadbury Heath Primary and Barrs Court Primary, Speedwell Nursery School and Chester Park Infant & Junior schools in Fishponds.
The lack of water has also closed the new Horizons Learning Centre in Kingswood, Kingswood Youth Hub, Kingswood Locality Hub, Kingswood Children’s Centre, Cadbury Heath Children’s Centre and the Made For Ever Youth Centre along with Cadbury Heath and Kingswood libraries.
Bowsers were installed this morning at the Co-op in Downend Road, Tesco in Broad Street, Staple Hill, Sainsbury’s at Emersons Green and Aspects Leisure Park in Longwell Green.
People queuing in Kingswood for bottled water – the bowsers took several hours longer to arrive than anticipated
People had a long wait in Kingswood this morning for bowsers to be set up in the car park in Halls Road.
At lunchtime Bristol Water announced it was increasing the number of tanks on each site and would be adding two new sites at Morrisons in Fishponds and Cadbury Heath, but the location has not yet been revealed. Some have also been set up this afternoon at The Grange School in Warmley.
Customers are advised to bring their own containers to collect water from the bowsers.
