FAMILIES were evacuated from their homes in a Tilbury tower block because of electrical failure.

Brisbane House, a 16 storey block of 64 council flats, suffered a major electrical power failure following a water leak and Thurock Council’s emergency plan was put into operation to move residents from 15 affected flats to emergency accommodation, with some staying in a nearby community hall for the night.

Without electricity — which supplies smoke alarms in the flats — the council took a safety-first attitude and offered alternative accommodation to the affected tenants. Several families elected to stay with relatives, while others took up the offer of staying at a local community hall.

Social workers from Adult Social Care and Children’s Services were involved from the beginning of the operation and the council’s transport department supplied four buses to take residents to the hall or their relatives’ homes.

Although the water problem was solved early in the crisis which started mid afternoon, reconnecting electricity supplies safely to all the flats is not expected to be complete until later in the week.

Brisbane is one of three tower blocks on Leicester Road, the others being Freemantle House and Tasmania House. All are linked by a concierge entry system but only Brisbane House is affected by the power failure, caused by a water leak when a ball valve failed on the building’s water tank

Initially it was believed the electrical failure affected the whole building, but the problem was isolated to 15 flats, dotted about the structure, affecting around 45 people.

The building, in one of the more deprived areas of Thurrock, has something of a chequered history and the decision to evacuate people because of the lack of a fire alarm may have its roots in an incident in 2002.

Then a man had to be rescued from his blazing 15th floor flat as he attempted to fight flames.

Neighbours broke down the door of the top-floor flat and got the 43-year-old tenant out before fire crews arrived.

Smoke spread throughout the floor and firefighters led two other residents to safety. The fire had not been detected in its early stages because electricity had been cut off from the flat and the battery back-up for the smoke alarm had run out.

At the time a Essex Fire service station manager Roger Lucraft said: “The batteries do not last long without the trickle-charge from the electricity supply, it seems those who may be at greatest risk, those facing hardship, could be losing the chance of early warning of fire."

In recent years there have been several moves to upgrade the flats, including a £2million investment in the concierge system.