Man dies after van submerged in water in flood tragedy
A man has died after his van was submerged in water in Walsall following flash flooding.
Floods caused havoc across the Midlands after torrential downpours and thunderstorms swept in.
Emergency services were called to Lichfield Road, Rushall, just after 2am today to reports that a van had entered the water.
The victim, who is believed to be in his 80s, has taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.
His next of kin have been informed.
A resident and council worker desperately tried to rescue the victim, diving into the flood water and tried to break the van window with a hammer.
Mother-of-two Kirinna Johnson, 26, said: “One of our neighbours dived in when he saw the van get stuck, he was a real hero.
“He said he saw the driver open the door and try to push the van but the water was too deep. When that failed, he got back in and tried to reverse out.
“A council worker, who had just dropped off some sandbags, waded in too. They shouted for a hammer and tried to break a window. Meanwhile another neighbour called the police.
“But by the time help arrived he’d been in the water for five minutes. Fire fighters cut him out and pulled him onto the roof and we saw them give him chest compressions.”
