A major north London shopping street could be closed for days after a 100-year-old water pipe “exploded” underground, flooding the road.
The pressure on the Victorian pipe system has been at its peak after heavy rainfall, as the pipes transport water from rural reservoirs.
Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park was left covered in muddy water and broken tarmac, and is likely to be closed to traffic for up to five day, engineers said.
Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park flooded after a burst pipe
The pipe burst outside City and Islington College causing a deep void in the ground, and water was shut off by Thames Water around 1pm yesterday.
A workman at the site, told the Evening Standard: “The heavy rainfall means the ground shifts around but this pipe is carrying water from a reservoir, which have become full with pressure increasing on the pipes in a lot of places.
The pipe burst outside City and Islington College causing a deep void in the ground
"A lot of these pipes are 100 years old so it’s going to happen in places. A huge void was created underneath the road which doesn’t help.”
A Thames Water spokesman said: “A 10-inch water pipe has burst on Blackstock Road, causing substantial damage to the carriageway.
"Engineers are on site repairing the pipe and will be working to get the road re-opened as soon as possible.”