Burst pipe forces evacuation of south London highrise

Residents of a south London highrise are being evacuated after a pipe burst causing significant flooding.

According to officials with the city’s fire department, crews arrived at the building at 940 Commissioners Rd. E. around 7 a.m. following reports of a water flow issue.

Officials say the flooding is affecting units on the first to third floors.

London police, Middlesex-London Paramedic Services and London’s emergency response team are also on the scene.

The building’s electricity has been shut down as a precaution, and fire crews are helping occupants gather their belongings.

“Electrical safety is en route and will inspect to see when it is safe to put the hydro back online. We expect residents will be out of their apartments for at least today, but depending on what electrical safety says, it could be for an extended period of time,” said Platoon Chief Shawn Fitzgerald.

With the humidity set to make temperatures feel like 40 C on Wednesday and air conditioning not available in the building with the power off, Fitzgerald is recommending residents leave their apartments for the day but added that an evacuation order could be put in place.

Carling Heights has been converted into a welcome centre for the day, offering relief from the heat for anyone who may need it.

Fitzgerald said the city is taking people from the scene to the centre via LTC buses, adding that electrical safety officials have to give the OK to turn the power back on and elevators need to be inspected before they are activated and residents can return.

An elderly man was taken to hospital after experiencing a medical issue while being evacuated from one of the upper floors by the fire department, Fitzgerald added.

According to Fitzgerald, about 400 to 500 people live in the building, but it’s unclear how many have been evacuated as some residents may have already left for the day when the flooding began.

There is no word yet on what caused the pipe to burst, but police are investigating and they say the incident is being treated as suspicious.

In an update late Wednesday afternoon, London police announced that residents in the most heavily-damaged units are likely to be displaced for “an undetermined period of time” while others could return before the end of the day.

The investigation has been reassigned to London police’s street crime unit.