The chief fire officer of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has called on people to take care when attempting to repair damage to their properties from recent flooding.
The comments come after two bodies were found in the cellar of a building used as a rugby club in Tewkesbury.
According to the fire service, the two men had died when they tried to pump water from the building and were overcome by fumes.
Terry Standing, chief fire office for the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, advised UK homeowners on the BBC radio 4 'PM' programme not to attempt similar operations in their own homes.
'We would urge all people attempting to pump water out of their buildings to be aware of the safety issues, particularly when using either electric or petrol powered pumps, and to be mindful that their homes now may present them with greater risks than when they left them,' he said.
Mr Standing further added that the fire services were trained and had the equipment to deal with these situations and there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
Doctors have also issued health warnings to people not to let the young or very old walk in the water unnecessarily, as there is a strong chance of E.Coli and salmonella being present in the filthy floodwaters.
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