Burst water main in Queenstown closes road

Emergency services at the scene on Fernhill Rd. Photo / ODT

A section of road has subsided and water has flowed into a hotel basement after a “significant” burst water main which has closed Fernhill Rd in Queenstown.

The road is closed near the Heritage Hotel between Sainsbury Rd and the One Mile roundabout.

Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager Ian Littlejohn told the Otago Daily Times they received a call for assistance from police at 1.20pm to the Heritage Hotel and Villas after reports the “road had subsided in Fernhill Rd”.

Littlejohn said one Queenstown appliance was turned out before police requested further help because “the water mains had also ruptured in the area”.

At present there are five appliances either responding or in attendance, some assisting with “salvage operations and portable pumps”.

Littlejohn said Fenz crews were helping pump out water and conducting “general salvage operations” - drying out, squeegying, and helping people move items from below water to above it.

The last message received indicated contractors had managed to slow the flow of water, however, water had gone into the Heritage’s lower basement.

The public was asked to avoid the area.

The Heritage Hotel could not respond to a request for comment.

A receptionist said the manager was busy dealing with “an emergency”.