Church Street in Bilston was flooded on Thursday after a burst water main, with the nearby indoor market also taking on water. The street was submerged and police cordoned off the area before 09:00 BST as workers from Severn Trent Water attended.
Severn Trent said it was working to isolate the burst main and divert water to allow residents living in flats above the scene to get in and out of their homes. Some traders at one end of the street were later able to open their premises.
Market Impact
At the indoor market, supervisor Ken Bennett said it was immediately apparent on opening the main shutters that the site had flooded. He told the BBC that traders would not be happy if unable to open their units, but there was a risk of allowing water into their businesses if individual shutters were rolled up. The site was confirmed to be fully operational after 09:00 BST.
Regional Context
The Bilston flooding comes as the West Midlands braces for its third day of flooding misery. Heavy rain and thunderstorms first hit the region on Wednesday, with 55 properties flooded in Birmingham and homes in some areas taking on water up to three feet deep. Fresh storms struck on Thursday evening, with two flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency for parts of Staffordshire and Warwickshire, and multiple lower-level flood alerts across the region.
