THAMESMEAD: Yobs set off fire hydrant mayhem (From News Shopper)
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THAMESMEAD: Yobs set off fire hydrant mayhem
4:37pm Wednesday 24th June 2009 in
THE streets of Thamesmead were awash last night as marauding youngsters travelled the town letting off the fire hydrants.
Police, the fire brigade and engineers from Thames Water were called to the area after receiving multiple calls from residents.
The trouble started in Kale Road at around 9.30pm and it was the first of 10 incidents in streets spanning both the Bexley and Greenwich parts of Thamesmead, which lasted until almost midnight.
Because the hydrants hold water under pressure for use by firefighters in case of a fire, once opened, the jets of water were reaching more than 60ft high.
Most people were convinced they were witnessing burst pipes.
But when the emergency services arrived on the scene, it became obvious the hydrants were the source of the water.
As the calls continued to come in, a number reported seeing gangs of young people at the scene, in one case putting detergent into the water jet and in another, prising up the hydrant cover.
Engineers from Thames Water turned off the hydrants and Bexley police say they were not able to identfy anyone responsible for the mayhem
Comments(18)
ripnetuk
says...
10:54pm Wed 24 Jun 09
leefender
says...
12:31am Thu 25 Jun 09
ripnetuk wrote:Its water that is supplied to save lives, not for teenagers to mess around with. and 9 Bar of water pressure does cause havoc and is extremley dangerous. I have 12 years experience in firefighting and that sort of water pressure can cause serious damage. Also looking at the photo, there appears to be a tree directly next to it, making it that much more dangerous with the possibility of large branches falling on someone or the nearby vehicles.
havoc? its water :) what do you suggest the police charge them with? you might have noticed that it occasionally rains in thamesmead, so the outside is already waterproof. I really, really hope noone like you gets into power and wastes our money punishing teenagers for being teenage. We dont want to make our youth hate the police by being so stupid, it doesnt work.
itsafinelife
says...
8:32am Thu 25 Jun 09
ripnetuk wrote:are you some sort of idiot, what happens if the emergency services cannot distinguish fires due to these stupid children. It could be one of your relatives needing the services of the firefighters
havoc? its water :) what do you suggest the police charge them with? you might have noticed that it occasionally rains in thamesmead, so the outside is already waterproof. I really, really hope noone like you gets into power and wastes our money punishing teenagers for being teenage. We dont want to make our youth hate the police by being so stupid, it doesnt work.
bexley mum
says...
10:10am Thu 25 Jun 09
ripnetuk wrote:What a pratt you are.Why dont you try living where these kids and see how you like it. I agree with Colin Bloom we need someone like him in parliament who wont be affaid of these kids who think they can rule the land about time the police stood up to them also.Instead of taking a soft approach.
havoc? its water :) what do you suggest the police charge them with? you might have noticed that it occasionally rains in thamesmead, so the outside is already waterproof. I really, really hope noone like you gets into power and wastes our money punishing teenagers for being teenage. We dont want to make our youth hate the police by being so stupid, it doesnt work.
ripnetuk
says...
10:45am Thu 25 Jun 09
ripnetuk
says...
10:54am Thu 25 Jun 09
MB
says...
11:13am Thu 25 Jun 09
Colin Bloom wrote:Colin, I totally agree with you. The it-was-just-for-a-la
These pictures show the havoc that was wreaked by a gang of anti-social young people, these mindless yobs caused fear, anxiety and damage on a community that deserves much better. The Police say that they can't identify the people involved, even though they were seen by lots of people. These hooligans will have been soaked to the skin, and they will by now be bragging about their exploits. If the Police really wanted to they would have these yobs in the clink by the weekend, let's hope they do! I've said it before, and when (or if) I get into Parliament I will be saying it even louder, the Police, the Magistrates, the Local Authorities, the Probation Service and the Community need to have a cold, resolute, zero-tolerance approach to crime. Unless there is joined up thinking and a co-ordinated approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour of the kind experienced last night in Thamesmead, things will just get worse for the majority of law abiding decent people. www.colinbloom.co.uk
ugh culture of carelessness and irresponsiveness has gone a step too far and we need tougher measures to stop it. Zero tolerance worked well in New York and there is no reason to believe that it wouldn't work here, but first the police and justice system need to be reformed.
doc 1
says...
11:26am Thu 25 Jun 09
itsafinelife
says...
2:51pm Thu 25 Jun 09
ripnetuk wrote:and i think you'll find the word you were looking for was WORD not work, try out the website that your so fimiliar with!!! PRAT!!!!!!!!!!!
itsafinelife - Rule 1 - if you call someone an idiot, use the right words yourself. The work you were looking for is extinguish. That means putting out a fire. distinguish means To perceive as being different or distinct. There are sites like dictionary.com that might help you out here.
ripnetuk
says...
3:18pm Thu 25 Jun 09
budgieboy3
says...
3:42pm Thu 25 Jun 09
Seems our friend lives too far away to comment really,I live the other side of the border from there and also work in the area. As i deliver pizza's around there, but it's ok he doesnt have to worry about his pizza being late because of the hooligans being hooligans oh and dont forget it may only be water but what if it was his house or road i bet he would be the first to complain as for me well i put myself in danger every time i go there but hey it's ok all part of my job i suppose to be robbed and hurt so people like him can have their pizza's
ripnetuk
says...
3:50pm Thu 25 Jun 09
madras
says...
6:02pm Thu 25 Jun 09
junie
says...
6:27pm Thu 25 Jun 09
ripnetuk
says...
6:56pm Thu 25 Jun 09
madras wrote:hahaha good one :)
zero tolerance for late and soggy pizzas - it has to start somewhere...
junie
says...
10:15pm Thu 25 Jun 09
agl
says...
2:17pm Mon 29 Jun 09
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Kale Road, Thamesmead, where the water jet reached the eighth floor of the nearby tower block. Picture by Graham Simpson
The street was awash with water and residents thought a burst water main was to blame. Picture by Graham Simpson
Water gushes from a Kale Road hydrant. Picture by Graham Simpson
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Colin Bloom says...
6:44pm Wed 24 Jun 09
The Police say that they can't identify the people involved, even though they were seen by lots of people. These hooligans will have been soaked to the skin, and they will by now be bragging about their exploits. If the Police really wanted to they would have these yobs in the clink by the weekend, let's hope they do!
I've said it before, and when (or if) I get into Parliament I will be saying it even louder, the Police, the Magistrates, the Local Authorities, the Probation Service and the Community need to have a cold, resolute, zero-tolerance approach to crime. Unless there is joined up thinking and a co-ordinated approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour of the kind experienced last night in Thamesmead, things will just get worse for the majority of law abiding decent people.
www.colinbloom.co.uk