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Technical News & Discussion => Broadband, Internet & General Computer News & Discussion => Topic started by: Glenn on Dec 21, 2010, 14:37:24

Title: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: Glenn on Dec 21, 2010, 14:37:24
A flood and fire in one of BT's major exchanges in London's west end has left stores on Oxford Street and Regent Street unable to process card payments in the last few shopping days before Christams.

The small blaze overnight at the Gerrard Street facility in Soho has left thousands of businesses without broadband and telephone access. BT has posted a picture of the damage here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48879906@N05/5279383607/).

The electrical fire was caused by water, which BT said came from premises adjacent to the exchange*.


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/21/bt_fire/
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: pctech on Dec 21, 2010, 14:45:16
Oh dear.

That won't be fixed overnight.

Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: DorsetBoy on Dec 21, 2010, 15:08:54
Stop putting equipment in basements ...........
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: pctech on Dec 21, 2010, 15:12:14
Quote from: DorsetBoy on Dec 21, 2010, 15:08:54
Stop putting equipment in basements ...........

It is the most secure place.

Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: DorsetBoy on Dec 21, 2010, 15:23:41
Quote from: pctech on Dec 21, 2010, 15:12:14
It is the most secure place.



and the one most likely to suffer flooding and water damage.
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: pctech on Dec 21, 2010, 15:32:23
There is that.


Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: kinmel on Dec 21, 2010, 15:41:03

That fuse didn't do it's job, did it !
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: Glenn on Dec 21, 2010, 15:42:08
That was my 1st thought too, Alan
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: kinmel on Dec 21, 2010, 16:01:35
If you look at the first photo in that set of three on Flickr there has been a short to the earthed trunking from all 3 power phases and still no fuses blew.

Photo 3 shows how deep the water was, if the equipment itself has no redundancy, then surely the basement would have massive drains, or pumps.

Surely

and the cause is not water entering from adjoining premises, but failure to protect critical infrastructure from foreseeable event.
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: Rik on Dec 21, 2010, 17:30:07
This is BT we are talking about. :(
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: DorsetBoy on Dec 21, 2010, 17:40:48
The third image is from the March 2010 fiasco at Paddington Green, not this event but does illustrate the risks of positioning in an underground tank.
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: Glenn on Dec 21, 2010, 18:18:40
Recently the Shell building in London had it's basement flooded, Shell declined to comment if the servers located there were affected. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/19/shell_centre_eels/
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: Rik on Dec 21, 2010, 18:21:48
Left hand and right hand?
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: esh on Dec 22, 2010, 12:22:11
Force them to store all their servers at the bottom of a lake. They'll have to account for leaks then!


Right?
Title: Re: Some of Oxford St & Soho without BB
Post by: Rik on Dec 22, 2010, 12:58:23
:hehe:

Or fit snorkels. ;D