ALARMING ACCIDENT AT BIRMING HAM. BURSTING OF A CANAL.

Evening Post, Issue 85, 18 May 1865, Page 2

ALARMING ACCIDENT AT BIRMING HAM. BURSTING OF A CANAL.

About half-past four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, some of the labourers employed at Gibb Heath coal wharf, which is a branch of the old Birmingham oanal, observed that the towing-path was giving way. They at once gave an alarm, but before anything could be done the waters of the canal burst through the embankment and rushed with great force into the adjoining fields. The branch of thacanal runs over the Great Western Railway. The consequence was that when the water burst through the embankment it flooded the whole of the lh^ and the water from the canal, for the distance of about three hundred yards, was poured upon the line. The water brought with it the whole brickwork of the bridge, which was strewed upon the line of railway, and at once impeded the traffic. As soon as the station master at Soho found that the communication was impeded, he at once telegraphed to have the trains stopped oft that side of the railway station. The wafer " f rom the canal, however, continued to pout

in through the slight breach formed in the embankment, and in a short time the force of the water swept awny the whole of the embankment, and the water of the canaj rushed upon the line, flooding the adjacent dwelling-houses on both sides of ihe line. The debris of the bridge completely blocked up the line, and the traffic wa^ entirely stopped. The last train to arrive at Birmingham was the train arriving at Snow-hilj station at a quarter past four o'clock, after which all communication between the Soho station and Birmingham was interrupted. As soon as the fact of the bursting of the canal was known to the Canal Company they sent ft number of men to the spot, who at once proceeded to put down stop-gates to prevent the large body of water rushing from the main portion of tie canal into the branch. In a short time their tfliorts were successful, and' the consequence was that a considerable volume of water was fortunately prevented from rushing into the branch. As it was the waters fur about two hundred yards distance rushed upon the line, and inundated the line as far as Hockley station. A considerable volume of water also tound its way into the adjoining dwelling-houses, and inundated the cellars, damaging a large amount of property. The great body of the water, owing to the low situation of the dist.ict, ran on to the waste land at the back of the Hockley station, and a portion found its way through the culverts into Soho-pool. This no doubt prevented more damage being inflicted on the residents in the neighbourhood. As it was the cellars of the houses in the Lodge-road were completely inundated, and a considerable amount of property was damaged. In the Lodge-road the cellars were completely filled, and Mr. Ingram, baker, was a considerable sufferer from the water finding its way into his cellars. Several othei- persons in the neighbourhood also sustained considerable damage to the contents of their cellars. About ten o'clock at night the water subsided, and a number of workmen set to work to clear the line of railway. The traffic on the line was, however, altogether impeded, and the possengers on the line, with their luggage, had to be conveyed hy omnibus from Soho-station to Snow-hill, from whence llwe proceeding to London and other intermediate stations were conveyed by rail. The damage sustained by the railway company and private individuals will no doubt be very considerable.—Birmingham Gazette.