Nearly 200 students sheltered in a leisure centre after they were evacuated from tower block accommodation due to a flood.

A water main ruptured in Vita Student Lewisham, a 34-storey block on Loampit Vale, in the early hours of Monday morning.

Around 190 students were evacuated to the nearby Glass Mill Leisure Centre at 3am, as fire services worked at the scene until nearly 6.30am.

A spokesperson said: “Firefighters were called to reports of flooding at a block of student accommodation on Loampit Vale in Lewisham this morning.

“A water main had ruptured and the basement of the 34-storey building flooded.

"Around 190 people evacuated the building. There were no reports of any injuries.

“Crews isolated the water main and the duty of care was left with the building manager.

“The Brigade was called at 0302 and the incident was over for firefighters by 0624.

"Three fire engines from Lewisham, Greenwich and New Cross fire stations were at the scene.”

The recently opened tower block nearly Lewisham station offers rooms from £250 per week, catering largely to foreign students.

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