Father's fury over flood delays
Laura Routledge • Published 29 Dec 2011 18:30
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EXCLUSIVE
A FATHER of four has slammed Thames Water for failing to react when his family's garden was flooded on Christmas Eve and water began pouring into his house.
David Marshall, who lives in Tilehurst's Warborough Avenue with his wife and children, was told the water company could not help him for four hours when his family were trapped in their home at 12pm as a water spout shot into the air from the pipe, filling his front garden and covering his hallway's wooden flooring.
The doting dad was forced to get his screaming children to safety by going out the back door and handing them over the fence to worried neighbours, but when he phoned Thames Water he was told he'd have to wait until 4pm for assistance.
Firefighters from Dee Road were called and spent two hours at the scene, where they stopped the flow, drained the garden of water and explained the severity of the problem to Thames Water.
Mr Marshall said: "It was horrendous. It was honestly like something out of a disaster movie and I am so glad I called 999 because the fire brigade saved me. They told Thames Water off and explained we needed the water to be turned off and that we needed someone to get down here.
"It was awful, but Thames Water just kept saying they would not be able to help for four hours, even when I explained how bad things were."
He added: "We've had loss adjusters and people from their insurance company here since and they've been great, but we haven't even had an apology from Thames Water - it was the fire brigade who saved me."
No other homes were flooded, but more than 30 houses were without running water until 7.45pm when Thames Water finally fixed the pipe.
Speaking to the Chronicle on Christmas Eve, Thames Water apologised to its customers and admitted its response to the burst water main was "unacceptable".
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 30 Dec 11
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