Tilbury tower block evacuated after burst water pipe
A rest centre has been set up for those unable to stay with family or friends, and emergency accommodation is being provided where needed
Emergency crews were called to Brisbane House on Leicester Road, Tilbury, following reports of significant flooding inside the residential block.
Firefighters from Grays and Orsett attended the scene on Wednesday night (November 12, 2025), working swiftly to isolate the water supply, assist residents, and provide welfare support in collaboration with Thurrock Council and Essex and Suffolk Water.
In a statement released at 11.56pm, Thurrock Council confirmed that a burst pipe had caused flooding which also affected the building’s electricity supply. For safety reasons, power to the building was shut off on the advice of utility experts, and residents were asked to temporarily leave their homes.
A rest centre has been set up for those unable to stay with family or friends, and emergency accommodation is being provided where needed. Vulnerable residents are receiving additional support.
The council also warned that neighbouring buildings, Freemantle House and Tasmania House, may experience interrupted water supplies overnight.
The water pumps serving those blocks are located in Brisbane House and are currently offline due to the power cut. Electricity in those blocks, however, remains unaffected.
Council officers are delivering bottled water to residents and advising them to limit their water use until emergency repairs begin on Thursday morning.
A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said: “We are hugely grateful to residents for their patience and co-operation, and to our colleagues in the emergency services and the British Red Cross for supporting local residents through this incident tonight.”