Major water leak in Oslo fills cellars with water

Water leakage in Nydalen..Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

A severe water leak caused major damage to several commercial buildings in Nydalen, Oslo, on Thursday night. The cause was a main water pipe bursting.

 

‘There is a lot of water in the area of the leak’, the Oslo fire and rescue service reported on Twitter. A main pipe of 450 millimetres was damaged, and large amounts of water flowed out over the area

The fire department descended onto the area, which houses the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Affairs, and many large commercial buildings. A building at Gjerdrumsvei 10 was particularly hard hit by flooding.

‘There was a whole lower floor, and a parking lot of 4,000 square meters underwater,’ said security officer, Tor Audunhus, of Oslo fire and rescue service to NTB news agency.

Several addresses in Gjerdrumsvei also had water in the buildings. The water pressure was so high that many windows broke. The fire department also warned that there is likely to be significant underground excavation.

By 08.00 on Friday morning, the fire department had control of the affected buildings.

The water and drainage plant had to be disconnected to stop the overspill of water.

‘We have three pumps remaining, but the crews are now finished. Companies that carry out residual drainage of the affected buildings will take over,’ said Audunhus.

The leakage occurred at Gjerdrumsvei in Nydalen. Akerselva flows through the area,which is primarily built up of commercial buildings, and offices that house public agencies.Authorities are now working on notifying those responsible for the affected buildings.

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today