Burst water main floods Kensington & Chelsea streets and homes overnight

A Kensington & Chelsea water main burst overnight has left streets flooded, homes evacuated and thousands of residents without water or facing severely reduced pressure across parts of Kensington, Holland Park, Shepherd’s Bush and Notting Hill.

The rupture, which occurred shortly after 2am, sent water surging through roads near the Holland Park roundabout, with flood levels reaching up to a metre in places. Fire crews were called to the scene in the early hours, evacuating residents and assisting those trapped in affected properties.

Thames Water said the damaged pipe was releasing around 600 litres of water per second at the height of the incident. Martin Padley, the company’s water director, said engineers were attempting to limit flooding while maintaining supply elsewhere. “There are quite a lot of people in various postcodes with no or low water supply,” he said. “We believe around 2,000 customers are currently without supply, with many more experiencing low pressure.”

About 40 firefighters attended the scene, using specialist equipment including an inflatable rescue boat to reach residents whose homes had been inundated. London Fire Brigade said more than 50 properties and a nearby hotel were affected across an area stretching for over a mile.

Residents described scenes of confusion and distress as water poured into buildings. Julia Talbot, whose home in Lorne Gardens was flooded, said the damage was extensive. “The entire ground floor is just gone,” she said. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.” She added that the property had flooded several times over the past decades and questioned why promised flood protection had not been installed.

Another resident, Christina, said she first realised something was wrong when she turned on the tap. “There was no water in the kitchen, nothing in the bathroom or the shower,” she said. “I thought it was just our building, but then I looked outside and saw chaos.”

Firefighters brought the incident under control shortly after 5am, with displaced residents moved to nearby accommodation. Road closures remain in place around the Holland Park roundabout as engineers continue work on the damaged main.

Elizabeth Campbell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said the speed and scale of the flooding raised serious concerns. “It is important we understand why an area was flooded so quickly and with such devastating consequences for residents,” she said, adding that the council would be seeking answers from all organisations involved.

Joe Powell, MP for Kensington and Bayswater, described the incident as “shocking” and said he was in contact with affected residents, emergency services and Thames Water. He urged anyone needing assistance to get in touch.

Thames Water has warned that repairs could take several days and that customers across multiple W postcodes may continue to experience disruption. Updates on water supply and repair work are being provided through Thames Water’s service status information.

Rather than being an isolated failure, the incident has renewed scrutiny of ageing infrastructure in west London, where repeated flooding has left residents questioning how risks are assessed and mitigated once emergency crews leave.

For more independent coverage of the boroughs emergencies, infrastructure failures and their impact on local communities, follow EyeOnLondon Kensington & Chelsea. We welcome your views in the comments.

[Image Credit | London Fire Brigade]

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