Australian team forced to evacuate building in Games Village

Australian athletes have had a scare in Rio de Janeiro after their building in the Olympic Games Village was evacuated due to a fire. Photo / Twitter.

Australian athletes have had a scare in Rio de Janeiro after their building in the Olympic Games Village was evacuated due to a fire.

All athletes are understood to be fine and have returned to the residence after spending 30 minutes out of the building.

The fire is believed to have started in the second underground floor of the building but it is not known at this stage how it started.

"We've had a fire in the building. All are present and accounted for. No damage, just a small fire. Some smoke filled up the stairwell," Australian Olympic Committee spokesman Mike Tancred told AAP.

The Australian team was forced to evacuate their building at the village because of the fire. All safe now pic.twitter.com/gEzhsvekUx

— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) July 29, 2016

Tancred described it as "a good chance for us to put our emergency plan into action".

"I don't know what caused the fire but it wasn't the plumbing or anything like that," he said.

The Australian team had previously complained about the state of the accommodation for its athletes at the village.

-News.com.au