A damaged fire sprinkler at the Fairmont Southampton forced more than 100 guests to evacuate the hotel on Sunday morning.

According to one staff member, a pipe burst in one of the hotel’s kitchens, damaging the sprinkler and setting off the fire alarm at around 11.30am.

“At the time, no one knew where it was coming from or whether it was a fire or not,” the employee said.

He said that he and other staff members helped guests to leave the hotel, where they waited for around half an hour before they were given the all-clear.

“Everybody seemed to be understanding,” he said. “There was some flooding in the kitchen and all the water had to be pumped out, but everything was up and running again in 35 minutes.”

Kiaran MacDonald, Fairmont hotels regional vice-president, Bermuda and Caribbean, and general manager of the Fairmont Southampton, said: “The hotel underwent an evacuation exercise as a result of a damaged fire sprinkler that activated the emergency alarm system. The correct procedure was followed, our guests were minimally inconvenienced and appreciated the safety steps taken.”