Extremely fortunate no-one hurt after sinkhole swallows boats, fire chief says

A fire chief has said it is extremely fortunate that no-one was injured after a large “sinkhole” breached a canal in Shropshire.

More than 10 people were rescued and a major incident was declared after reports at 4.22am on Monday of a hole emerging along the waterway, causing large volumes of water to escape onto land in the Chemistry area of Whitchurch.

Footage on YouTube channel Narrowboat Life Unlocked showed a boat plunging down into a hole while the sound of cracking wood was heard.

Another boat was filmed stranded in the hole as water flowed past it.

Emergency services were at the scene after the breach on the Llangollen Canal near New Mills Lift Bridge.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said that three boats were caught in a developing sinkhole approximately 50 metres by 50 metres in size and that approximately 12 people from nearby moored boats were helped to safety.

Fire service area manager Scott Hurford said it was extremely fortunate that no one was injured during the “unusual” incident.

He said of the narrow boat residents: “It’s my understanding that they recognised the water level was dropping and started to do their own evacuation and raised the emergency services.

“When we came on scene we then supported the evacuation of those narrow boats.”

The fire service area manager added: “We are used to flooding and we are experienced and knowledgeable in that, but not necessarily from the canal network.

“Pathways either side (of the canal) are used regularly by the community.

“It’s very, very fortunate that there was no-one at that particular moment walking a dog or walking along the footpath.”

West Mercia Police said in a statement: “There are currently no reports of any casualties, and residents are being assisted by the fire service.”

The Canal & River Trust said its teams were at the site and that the impacted section of the canal had been dammed off.

It said: “We are carrying out initial investigations into the possible cause of the breach and will provide more details in due course.

“We will also seek to return water levels either side of the breach as soon as possible and are providing support to the boaters affected and those in the immediate area either side of the breach.”