A STUDENT had to be rescued from a high rise flat after a fire broke out.
A total of 63 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze at Liberty Quays on Duke Street in Southampton just before 5am today.
On arrival the building had been evacuated but one person was unaccounted for.
The fire started on a sofa in the four-bedroom flat in the 12th floor within the 16 floor building in Southampton city centre.
Firefighters from across the city were deployed to the scene having been alerted by an automatic fire alarm at 4.51am.
As a result firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were committed inside the building to extinguish the fire that was confined to the sofa and caused what was described as “light smoke logging”.
According to Hampshire Fire and Rescue a female student was led to safety from the flat and subsequently taken to hospital as a precaution suffering from smoke inhalation.
Group Manager Dave Turner said: "A significant fire had broken out in the kitchen of the flat and on discovering there was a person unaccounted for we quickly carried out a search operation to locate and lead the casualty to safety.
"Our positive and prompt firefighting action then stopped the fire spreading beyond the kitchen."
Floors above and below the 12th floor suffered minor smoke logging and positive pressure ventilation fans, along with the building's built-in ventilation system, were used to clear the smoke.
A spokesman from South Central Ambulance Service said they treated one casualty with oxygen for smoke inhalation who was then taken to hospital as a precaution Crews from St Mary's, Hightown, Redbridge, Winchester, Botley and Romsey dealt with the fire.
A joint investigation will be carried out between Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hampshire Police later today to establish the cause of the fire.
Georgina Thorpe, 22, student at Southampton Solent University: “I got woken up at 4.55am when I was asleep and I had to be evacuated from the halls I was on the ninth floor, everyone had to wait outside in their pyjamas. The fire service got here really quickly. I wasn't scared.”
She added the evacuated students were taken to a nearby halls until the fire had been extinguished.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel