My last blog outlined the probable cause of the flooding that the BT Paddington exchange faced when water pumps in the basement were unable to cope with a large influx of water.
It now appears that the flood is likely to have been caused by some faulty works undertaken by a water company on the water main which runs underneath the exchange. The fault alledgedly only became apparent when the water was turned back on, as thousands of gallons water leaked out of the main water pipe and into the lower floor of the exchange building.
The flood caused the mains electricity, and most probably the UPS, to fail in addition to sparking a fire. Generators have been brought in to power the switching equipment. Fortunately it appears that no telecoms equipment has been damaged by the flood or fire.
It does beg the question as to how the water from a supposedly burst pipe was able to penetrate the walls of the basement. Was it caused by holes in the wall or simply the force of the water pushing through?
If you know any more than I do it would be great if you could share your info.
