High-rise evacuation: Flooding forces Melbourne residents out of tower block

Hundreds of residents face another day’s wait to see if they can return home after being evacuated from their Melbourne CBD block last night.

Emergency services were called to the 22-storey block at the corner of Spencer and Collins Streets about 7pm yesterday after a water main burst, with hundreds of people forced from their apartments when the tower was declared uninhabitable.

This morning security guards are outside the tower block, barring residents from returning to their homes.

They were forced to spend last night with family or friends or in nearby emergency accommodation at Melbourne Town Hall.

Some residents were allowed to return to the building briefly to collect vital possessions last night. 

The flooding of the basement affected the tower's electricity supply and the power and water had to be turned off.

The City of Melbourne said it is likely to take 72 hours for the building at 620 Collins Street to be declared safe.

"The City of Melbourne's Municipal Building Surveyor issued an emergency order at around 11pm on Sunday after flooding of the basement damaged the building’s electrical systems, which caused a power outage to the entire building including the lifts," a spokeswoman told nine.com.au.

"It is likely to take up to 72 hours for the building to be declared safe to occupy due to the extent of damage to the building’s essential safety measures."

The relief centre in Swanston Hall on the ground floor of Melbourne Town Hall reopened this morning to support residents affected.

Engineers are due to return to the site today to reassess the situation.

It is expected residents will not be able to return for several days as emergency crews continue repairs.

With AAP