Water is currently gushing through ceilings, hallways and the lifts at Staner Court in Ramsgate.
Tenants in the 15-storey block in Manston Road say they are unable to use lifts and are worried about the danger of the flooded electrics.
Mum-of-three Lisa Fisher lives on the eighth floor and has water pouring through the ceiling of her flat and over the light switch panels. The hallway outside her flat and the lift is also flooded.
The 29-year-old and her partner Scott Barker believe the flood is coming from the rooftop water tank. Contractor Mears has been contacted but, although the incident has been logged, no-one is yet at the site (see update below, repairs now made).
Lisa, who suffers from relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis said getting down eight flights of stairs is an impossibility and all she can do is try and avoid using the electric.
She said: “This has happened twice before. There is also water coming in through my next door neighbour’s ceiling, through my friend’s flat on the ninth floor and I heard the top floor is completely flooded.
“The electric box in the hallway that supplies the flats on this floor is flooded.
“Mears said it is logged but even when it is stopped, what about the damage? We have just laid new lino and now that is bubbled and ruined.
“It is absolutely disgusting.”
The Isle of Thanet News has contacted Mears and property owner Thanet council.
UPDATE 6.10pm: County councillor Karen Constantine has contacted Mears to ask what action is being taken. Contractors are not at the block and the flooding has been stopped.
She said: “I called Mears and established that the flood was on the 14 floor and has been fixed. An electrician is on site. Three flats have been affected by the flood. The lifts are out of action and a cleaning team is going in. The flood is all the way down the block.
“I welcome the action take so far by Mears but I want to know that a robust safety assessment is being undertaken and I’m waiting for Mears to update me. It is a distressing time for residents. TDC must do all they can to ensure people are safe and that any damage is rectified.“
UPDATE Dec 23: Deputy Thanet council leader visited Trove Court today. She said: “A call was received notifying Mears of a leak at 3.38pm. Mears arrived on site at 4pm, isolated the leak which was found to be in one of the connections to the roof tank, and turned the water back on once the leak was repaired.
“An electrician was on site until 9pm, and visited all affected flats. As water had entered the lift shaft, a lift engineer was on site at 6.20pm, and cleaners removed water from communal areas and left at 6.30pm. Mears have been on site since 6.30am today. Residents with mobility issues have been contacted to see if they need any help in the interim, as of writing everyone is ok and if anyone needs any help in the interim they have been advised to contact East Kent Housing.
“I have knocked at all flats I knew were affected, and it was lovely to meet so many residents who were very understanding regarding what needs to be done.
“Currently the lift shaft is drying out before the electrics are tested, with Mears and the lift engineers still on site. We are hoping to have the lift up and running by this evening, but Mears will be back on site from 6am tomorrow if the lift shaft doesn’t dry quickly enough.
“I am so sorry that residents have had to deal with this, especially so close to Christmas, but we are working as hard as we can to fix things and I will update on here as soon as we have the lift working again.
“If anyone needs to contact me regarding this my email is [email protected].”
