FIREFIGHTERS tackled a blaze that broke out in a Southampton tower block.

Crews from across the city were deployed to Millbank House in Graham Street after the fire broke out just before 8pm on Saturday.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire from inside whilst hose jets were also used in the fire fighting effort.

It took around an hour to fully extinguish the fire.

It is thought the blaze was the result of an electrical issue inside the flat which the fire service say suffered 70 per cent smoke and heat damage and was 20 per cent damaged by the fire itself.

No one was injured in the fire and the family who lived in the flat involved have been rehomed by Southampton City Council.

The tenants, understood to be a family of four, were moved to emergency accommodation before forensics specialists investigated the scene last night.

Some residents were evacuated for over two hours when the fire struck on the ninth floor.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "The fire brigade had to lug all their gear up. It was a good couple of hours or so.

"The fire brigade forensics were in there last night after the fire, just trying to find out what the cause was, al all the electrics had been switched off in there.

"We're normally told to stay in our flats. We're used to to it."

Another neighbour, who was not in at the time of the incident, was wiping smoke damage off his front door this morning.