Two people have died after a car was driven into a flooded area of Liverpool, police have said.
The man and woman were in a black Mercedes Class 180 on Saturday night when they hit the deep waters in Mossley Hill, with one local resident describing the flood as a “waterfall” running several metres deep.
The alarm was raised with the emergency services shortly before 9:30pm when a passer-by spotted red car lights beneath the water.
Road closures are in place after two people died in a flooding— (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Firefighters and police officers helped to find the pair after rushing to the flooded area on Queens Drive, Merseyside Police said.
Both were taken to hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, one local resident said she rang the police shortly after 9pm on Saturday after seeing red lights beneath the deep water, which the taxi she was travelling in narrowly avoided driving into as well.
“I live on the street behind Queens Drive and it was pitch black by the bridge. We nearly drove into the water and it was so dark it disorientated the view of the driver,” said Rebecca Wilson, aged 27, who described the flood as around 15 feet deep.
“We went to turn around the car and all of a sudden it looked like a waterfall coming down from the side of the bridge.
Emergency services rescued a woman from her vehicle during flooding in Mossley Hill just last month— (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
“As I looked back out of the window I turned to my mates and told them I thought I had just seen red lights under the water and I thought maybe someone had become stuck. I rang the police just to be safe.”
The man and woman have now been formally identified and their next of kin have been informed, police said. A file has been passed to the coroner who has asked Merseyside Police to further investigate the incident.
It comes just a month after flooding last hit the Mossley Hill area, with emergency services forced to rescue a woman whose car became stuck in deep floodwaters.
Liverpool’s deputy lord mayor Richard Kemp said he had repeatedly raised the alarm about flooding at the spot for about 20 years.
In a letter to the council, he said short term measures had been carried out but “this has never been enough”.
“The major problem is that the core of the drainage system is more than 150 years old and is clearly inadequate,” he said.
Police are appealing for any witnesses or motorists with dashcam footage to come forward.
“Our thoughts go out to the family of the man and woman who sadly lost their lives in this tragic incident, despite the best efforts of passing members of the public, our officers and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services at the scene,” said Detective Chief Inspector Mike Dalton.
“We are at the early stages of an ongoing investigation on Queens Drive to establish the circumstances of this tragic incident.
“Road closures remain in the area as we continue with this investigation and motorists are advised to avoid the road.
“We are continuing to appeal to anyone who was on Queens Drive, between North Mossley Hill Road and Dovedale Road at around 9.20pm last night and saw the accident, or who stopped to try help or anyone who had any dashcam footage from their car to come forward as soon as possible.
“Similarly, if you live in the area and have any doorbell or CCTV footage from last night please share this with us.”
