RESIDENTS were evacuated from a block of flats in the early hours of Tuesday after an electrical fire.

Firefighters from Caversham and Dee Road were sent to Branagh Court at around 2am after smoke was seen coming from a consumer unit in the lobby area on the ground floor.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the electrical cupboard and Southern Electric were called to make the area safe before people could return to the building.

Nobody was injured and crews were on the scene for around 45 minutes.

Watch manager James Fernie, from Dee Road, said: "There was a consumer unit that had burnt itself out. It was emitting a large amount of smoke and one resident raised the call with us after being startled.

"There were no flames coming from the box and we made sure the area was safe before Southern Electric isolated the power away from the area.

"Quite a few people had already spotted the smoke and evacuated of their own accord before we arrived."