A BURST water main caused chaos on an industrial estate.

Water shot up into the sky, reaching higher than buildings in Howards Chase, Basildon, and drenching cars which had been parked along the road.

The doors of nearby businesses, including the Echo, were also covered with water.

Michelle Rood, director of Specialised Engineered Components, in Howards Chase, said staff rushed outside after spotting the burst main at about 10am today.

She said: “I went out and took a picture of the water going up into the air.

“It caused a bit of chaos here because everybody went outside to have a look at it as soon as we found out about it. I turned around and found that my staff were outside.

“I went out to have a look expecting something small, but I was shocked at how high the water was.”

Michel Millane, who runs Milliane Contract Services Ltd, also in Howards Chase, spotted the water shooting up into the air as he made his way to work.

He added: “We actually had a fire drill just after which is kind of appropriate really.

“I don’t know of anything happening like this before, I think it is amusing as long as there is no harm or hurt caused to anybody.”

Some buildings on the Pipps Hill industrial estate were left without a water supply for up to two and a half hours while Essex and Suffolk Water tried to fix the burst main.

A receptionist working in one of the businesses, who did not want to be named, said she could not get to her car because the water had flooded the road.

She added: “It started out as just a normal working day. Someone rushed in just before 10am and said there was water gushing out of the road so I went to look and it was covering the step of our door.

“I called my husband to come down with some wellies to get my car, but luckily it wasn’t damaged at all.”

A spokesman for Essex and Suffolk Water said safety barriers will remain in place until the road can be resurfaced.

He said: “Essex and Suffolk Water engineers have completed the repair work on a six inch water main on Howard Chase, Basildon.

“No properties or business customers were without their high quality drinking water supplies, except today from around 1pm until 3.30pm whilst engineers carried out the repair work to fix an old air valve connected to the water main.

“Resurfacing work will be carried out over the next few days, until then safety barriers remain in place.”