Richmond House at Terminus Terrace in Southampton evacuated after smoke seen coming from tenth floor window

Emergency services have been sent to high-rise student block Richmond House at Terminus Terrace after a fire broke out on the 10th floor at 1.25pm.

Forty firefighters from Eastleigh, Hightown and St Mary's were sent to the 11 storey block where more than 200 students live.

Incident commander station manager Mark White said the fire began due to a microwave oven in a studio flat .

He said the damage to the apartment was minimal due to a sprinkler system.

He said: "When that fire occurred the alarm sounded which led to the building being evacuated efficiently and quickly.

"The sprinkler system was activated which was instrumental in holding the fire."

He added that all the students were out if the building by the time they arrived and no one was injured.

One resident said he saw smoke coming from a window on the tenth floor of the building.

People had been evacuated while crews from five fire engines used six breathing apparatus and three jets to put out the fire.

A 26-year-old resident said: "I was round the corner having a coffee when I heard the fire alarm.

"I came round and saw smoke coming from a window on the tenth floor and the students being evacuated."

By 3.30pm students were allowed back into property.

One student Aaron Phimister said there was "thick smoke billowing out" of the window when he was evacuated.

He said: "People didn't really know what was going on until the fire brigade arrived.

"There was lots of smoking coming out the window."

Maritime business student Shlok Sachar was in the tower when the fire started.

He heard the fire alarm go on and off two or three times before realising it was a fire.

He came out into Terminus Terrace to find fire fighters and black smoke coming from the tenth floor.

He said: "It was only when we saw the fire trucks and the police that we realised it was serious."