Freak storms wreak havoc
A STREET cleaner has been hailed as a hero for saving a family from a flooded car while a leisure centre manager sacrificed her run around to save more than 30 customers in Bishop Auckland this week.
The Dagnan family from Bishop Auckland were returning home along St Andrew’s Road from the school run yesterday when flash floods blocked their route home. Dad Paul said: “I started to drive through what looked like a puddle and the engine cut out, within 30 seconds the car started to fill with water. I got
Christopher out of the back window and he managed to jump to the bank and call the police, Jonathan and Elle climbed on to the boot. All the time the water was rising I just thought I’ve got to get the kids on to the bank, then Richard turned up. I’d like to thank him because otherwise I don’t know what we’d have done. It could have been a whole lot different.”
Street Cleaner Richard Greensmith scaled a 10 foot wall to drop down into the flood water and lifted everyone to safety but he insists he didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t have done given the scene he came across. He said: “Anybody would have done the same and you can’t just leave people stuck like that.
Within five minutes of the rescue I looked back and the car had disappeared under the flood water. I didn’t think about it until I got back in my van but I can’t swim, but it wouldn’t have stopped me. I am very happy they are all safe. I would do the same again.”
Durham County Council Streetscene Manager Jimmy Bennett said: “I am really proud of what Richard did, and delighted that the family are safe and well. Let’s hope he doesn’t have to repeat his hero action.”
Christopher, 14, said: “I was a bit worried when the car started floating and dipping. I was standing watching and just thinking I hope they get out.”
Elle, five, said: “I was crying because of the thunder I was worried and hoping someone would get me off the car. I am happy now but I was scared at the time.”
Meanwhile, Natalie Curgenven, manager of Woodhouse Close Leisure Centre, chose to help gym users escape the fast rising water instead of moving her car which was half submerged beneath sewage from an overflowing outlet.
Torrential rain in the area led to large parts of the town being flooded and three feet of water and sewage flooded the leisure centre’s pump room. The fire service, who spent the afternoon pumping water from flooded streets and rescuing stranded motorists, isolated the electricity and gas supplies. Sport and Leisure Area Manager Nigel Dodds said: “It was only minutes from the cloud burst to the centre manager realising the potential danger the rapidly rising water posed.
All customers were lead to safety and the building was made safe. It was a real life test which staff past with flying colours, following procedures in an extremely professional manner.”
Sport and Leisure’s Andrew Francome said: “Natalie’s car is almost certainly a write off, but thanks to her absolute dedication no-one was in any danger and the building was made safe. The centre lies at the bottom of a hill and within minutes the car park was flooded and the pump room was under several feet of contaminated water. There was no panic which was all credit to Natalie who is an absolute professional.”
The flood water dispersed but left a thick layer of filthy sludge which had to be removed and a thorough cleansing process was commissioned. The water did not contaminate any public areas and it was hoped the fitness suite may be open within a day.
The pool will not reopen until all health and safety checks are complete.
Elsewhere in Bishop Auckland, another motorist had to swim for safety after his car was almost fully submerged on St Andrew’s Road.
Many shops were flooded especially in the Bondgate area of the town. Cafe owner Sam Zair, who managed to escape too much damage, said: “I have never seen anything like it. We must have had up to eight inches within an hour and a lot of businesses were flooded. It was simply the volume of water that meant the drains couldn’t cope and Fore Bondgate looked like an extension of the River Wear.”
Met Office figures record a downfall of 2.6mm in two hours in the county although a spokeswoman said they only record the rain where their observation site is.
There was also a snow fall in Tow Law.