Tragic death of flooding victim
Jul 21 2007 by Graeme Whitfield, The Journal
A MAN has died from head injuries as he tried to bail flood water out of his home.
The 64-year-old from Alston in Cumbria was attempting to bail water out of his cellar on Thursday night when he suffered the injuries.
Neighbours last night expressed their shock at the man’s death, which appears to have happened after he slipped on wet paving and hit his head.
One neighbour said: “It’s a real shock for everyone around here. It’s a small community and people know each other.
“He was preparing for some flooding and putting some sandbags out, like we all were because it had been raining heavily and we were told to expect some flooding.
“I’ve heard that he died bailing out water from his cellar but as far as I’m aware he slipped on some paving that was wet from the rain and cracked his head and that was it. He’s new to the area and it’s just a terrible and sad accident.” Details of the death have yet to be released, but police said the man, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at his home by an air ambulance crew.
A Cumbria Police spokesman said: “We were alerted to the incident in Nenthead Road, Alston, by ambulance crews.
“A man, aged 64, who lived with his wife, had suffered head injuries while attempting to bail water out of a cellar.
“An air ambulance crew was in attendance and declared the man dead at the scene. We have not heard of any other deaths related to the current flooding.”
Alston was badly hit by flooding on Thursday, with several homes affected by rising water, which had run off the fells into the town.
Part of a school wall was intentionally demolished to divert floodwater away from some homes. A hole was punched in the primary school boundary wall to allow water to dissipate and prevent further flooding in this area.
Eden District Council said it had distributed more than 100 sandbags to homes in Alston. A spokesman said: “It appears that flash flooding occurred at the top side of Alston, resulting in flooding of properties. A hole was punched in the primary school boundary wall to allow water to dissipate and prevent further flooding in this area.”
A train route between Tyneside and Cumbria was reopened yesterday after landslips blocked the line.
Network Rail worked overnight to clear the debris between Brampton in Cumbria and Haltwhistle in Northumberland following heavy rain on Thursday.
