It's all kicking off in the West End. Various reports from Twitter suggest a major power cut in the Charing Cross area. Further, some people are reporting that one of the Trafalgar Square fountains has somehow leaked into the underground system, causing localised flooding and disrupting station operations at Charing Cross. Traffic lights in the area are also out, causing huge tailbacks. Bizarre. It's not yet clear if the power cut and flooding are connected, though it seems probable. We'll update this post with more details as we get them.
12.34 According to the Standard:
The pump station for the fountains broke down this morning, causing water to begin leaking into the station. This short-circuited the power supply to the Bakerloo line, forcing the line to be suspended between Paddington and Elephant and Castle.
The conspiracy theories start here about the cursed Olympic clock leaching power from the Grid and buggering up the fountains, like Robert Vaughan's evil supercomputer in Superman III.
14.04 Statement from Thames Water on the incident:
We attended Trafalgar Square today in an advisory capacity after contractors working for the GLA (Greater London Assembly) accidentally chopped through a section of privately-owned water pipe feeding the fountains.
Shortly before midday — about an hour after we were first alerted — water in the broken pipe was turned off, stopping it gushing into Charing Cross Underground station.
Our engineers remain on site to advise on, or lend a hand in, the clean-up if needed.
