MORE than 100 people had to be evacuated from a block of flats after a fire broke out.

Emergency services were called to the block of 60 flats in Southampton after reports of a blaze in an electrical room just after 10pm last night.

As a result all 120 residents were evacuated from the property at Bassett Avenue after the power to the building was turned off.

All the evacuees were taken to a nearby church hall where they were given shelter until the 60 flats were declared safe.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire in the ground floor room which was completed gutted by the blaze.

A police spokesman said: "By 1am only one elderly resident remained at the shelter."

He added that power to the property was not expected to be fully restored until 10am today.