Deep impact of burst chaos

THE chaos at the scene of the water mains burst. Picture by Chronicle reader Jahmaal Boucher

Hill Stores business owners arrived at work to a headache today after a spectacular water burst left 6,000 customers high and dry.

The 13in main on the Huddersfield Road/Ripponden Road junction shot up in the air just before 6pm yesterday. Police and fire services were called in and Ripponden Road was closed for around 90 minutes as United Utilities staff fought to control the flood. Water gushed down towards business properties at the junction, but firemen were unable to trace many keyholders whose firms were locked and closed.

One which did suffer was Rhino’s Gym, on Ripponden Road, where the cellars flooded. Manager David Elson added: “It’s gone into the cellar and it’s pretty bad in the car park at the side.

“It’s running around the back looking like a river and lifting the Tarmac. It’s contaminated the carpets on the ground floor, but we have customers on the upper floor and it’s business as usual.”

Eye witness Jahmaal Boucher said: “A water main pipe burst and tore the pavement. It was spraying water out as if it was a river. There was only one way for the water to run, down Huddersfield Road into Ripponden Road, the whole bottom part of Ripponden Road was flooded.”

Police said a 100-yard section of the main was affected and there were reports of a smell of gas, so Transco workmen were also called in, but found no leak. It was around 7.20pm before United Utilities had the burst under control and 7.40 before the road reopened.

Watch commander Rick Cummins, from Oldham Fire Station, said: “It was a severe leak and the road was closed as the tarmac was bulging.

“We had two pumps and there were police officers there. It was quite spectacular when we arrived, water was flooding the road.”

United Utilities apologised for the disruption, and a spokesman said engineers had dealt with the leak as quickly as possible.

He added: “There were 6,000 properties in the OL1 and OL4 areas affected but we managed to restore supplies to everyone by 7.45pm.”