Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

n/a at 15/11/2002 15:10

Cornwall’s Emergency Planners say that Cornwall could hardly have expected more testing conditions on the first night of the national strike by Fire Brigades Union members, with torrential rain causing severe flooding in towns and villages across the west and north of the county.

Hardest hit was Penwith, with parts of St. Ives under five feet of floodwater, and the A30 closed overnight around Crowlas and St. Erth. Twelve people were even rescued from their St. Ives homes and harbourside pubs by lifeboat, with the Coastguard joining all other emergency services in reacting to one of the worst weather emergencies of the year.

Retained fire crews responded to rescue calls in the town and the surrounding area. Ambulances treated people on the scene, with some elderly residents suffering cold and distress as flood waters rose. The main culprit in west Cornwall was the Stennack stream, which burst its banks sweeping silt and other debris into St. Ives deluging the area around St. Andrew’s Street, Tregenna Place and Gabriel Street. As part of regular maintenance debris screens associated with the stream had been cleaned only hours before, so natural drainage was operating at peak, but was simply inundated. As a result of the flooding gas supplies have also been disrupted, and a Transco problem reporting centre has been set up for residents.

Elsewhere in Cornwall Newquay and Padstow also experienced flooding, and across the South West some roads remain closed and train journeys have been cancelled, with Virgin Trains telling people not travel further west than Bristol. Cornwall Highways had eight gangs working overnight dealing with flooding issues, and distributing sandbags to residents and businesses.

County roads which experienced closure or serious flooding include Chyandour Cliff in Penzance and the roundabout near Tesco at Carbis Bay. The Highways Group Centre at Scorrier was opened to tackle the volume of calls and to co-ordinate response.

With more rain forecast, Emergency Services and Highways gangs remain on high alert. Meanwhile scores of residents and business owners have been surveying the damage to their properties, and assessing the need for sandbags to withstand any further rainfall.

Cornwall County Council’s Emergency Planning team co-ordinated the effort, with staff on duty all night. Penwith District Council, Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, Cornwall County Fire Brigade, the Coastguard Cliff Rescue Team and the Environment Agency all ensured that Cornwall’s response to the emergency was swift and effective.

Over 600 sandbags have already been distributed by Penwith District Council and the County Council, but if people still require them they should contact their local District Council (or see Phone Book listings). A large number of properties still remain affected by flood water, silt, gravel or debris. The District and County Council are working in affected areas in order to ease people’s difficulties wherever possible.

One area of concern is that some people have been using the 999 number for non-emergency calls or to express views on the FBU industrial action. Staff at Fire control in Truro are asking people not to abuse the 999 service, leaving the lines and operators clear to assist those in need of urgent help.