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Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk
Vehicle Stuck In Flood Water
Pink Moors, St Day, Redruth at 03/01/2016 16:37
Firefighters from Tolvaddon were mobilised after a 999 call was received from a member of the public stating they had driven through flood water and had now become stuck in their vehicle. The occupants were unable to open the doors and were unable to get out. Luckily the occupants and vehicle were towed from the floodwater by a passing 4x4 before fire and rescue service arrival.
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service would like to urge members of the public not to drive through flood water, please see below for information on driving in bad conditions.
•Avoid driving through floodwater and never attempt to cross if you don’t know how deep the water is, less than 60cm of standing water will float many cars.
•Do not try to cross fast moving water at flooded fords, overtopped bridges or flooded roads only 30cm of flowing water could move a car off a road.
•Even if the water level is not excessive the road beneath could be damaged or the hardcore below the tarmac may have been washed away by the scouring action of the water, causing the road to collapse when the weight of a vehicle passes over it.
•Take particular care at night when it might be difficult to see patches of standing water or flooded roads.
•The air intake on many cars is low at the front of the engine bay and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage; hot catalytic converters can crack on contact if immersed in cold floodwater.
•Do not ignore road closed signs they are there for a reason. If you come across impassable roads or have to abandon your car inform the Police.
•Don’t assume fords are safe to cross just because the road is not closed, always look at the river level gauge and use your common sense.
For further information please see our link below.
Date Posted: 03/01/2016