Six people rescued from flooded homes

Persistent rain meant it was a busy night for our Control Room, firefighters and officers with more than 70 incidents between yesterday (Tuesday 21 May) at 5pm and today (Wednesday 22 May) at 9am.

Incidents we attended included:

• Southend firefighters were called to a flooded house in Broomfield Avenue, Leigh at 4.56pm and isolated the electrics.
   
• Crews from Ongar, Brentwood and Leigh attended flooded properties in Stapleford Road, Stapleford Abbots at 6.15pm and rescued six occupants, including an elderly woman who was trapped on the first floor of her home. Crews were at the scene until 9.51pm.
   
• A crew from Thaxted cut up and removed a tree which had fallen across Elder Street, Wimbish. We were called at 8.12pm and cleared the road by 9.22pm.
   
• Harlow firefighters attended a flooded house in Spencers Croft, Harlow at 8.37pm. They led a family of three to safety and cleared drainage holes. They left the scene at 9.22pm.
   
• Crews from Colchester and Wivenhoe attended three homes and a business affected by floodwater in New Road, Aldham at 9.57pm. They pumped out water and remained at the scene until 1.31am.

With more rain expected today, please take care when you are driving. Leave extra time for your journey and do not risk driving through floodwater, find an alternative route.

Please help us by only calling 999 if there is a risk to life.