Residents evacuated as firefighters deal with fire within Southampton block
*UPDATE 11am*
Our Urban Search and Rescue team attended the scene to cut into the cavity wall, providing access for firefighters to reach the fire.
We will continue to have a presence for the next couple of hours whilst our teams monitor the affected area and dampen it down.
Crews will then return periodically throughout the day to reinspect the scene.
The residents evacuated from the building are being supported by Southampton City Council teams at the rest centre set up at the nearby Ordnance Survey building.
*UPDATE 9am*
We are now working to extinguish the fire which is within the building’s cavity wall.
The incident is being scaled back, with a reduced number of fire engines remaining on the scene this morning.
Fortunately there have been no casualties reported, and we continue to work closely with Southampton City Council to support affected residents.
*Initial information – 3am*
At around three o’clock this morning, we were alerted to reports of smoke and sounding alarms at Sarnia Court in Southampton.
With smoke visible within the building, firefighters are working to locate and extinguish the fire, whilst residents are evacuated.
Members of the public are asked to avoid the area around Boniface Crescent due to the significant emergency services presence.
A rest centre for affected residents has been opened at Redbridge Primary School.
