What would you do if you found yourself trapped in an attic? Shout for help? Try to climb out of the window? Or tweet about it?

For south Londoner Jack Barnes, 28, the answer was to get straight on social media. And his hilarious Twitter thread has gone viral – thanks in part to some serious drama.

Barnes and his housemates found themselves trapped in the top floor of their home on Rokeby Close in Lewisham this morning when the door handle broke off. To make matters worse, the kitchen was also flooding. The quick-thinking Barnes decided to share the news with his 112 followers, in an appeal for help.

@jackbarnes93

Sending out an SOS!!!! Stuck in an attic in Rokeby Close, Lewisham, south-east London. Door handle broke off and there’s flooding in the kitchen!!! With my housemates (and one of their dates!) #newcross #stuckintheattic

Instantly, the thread went viral, with offers of assistance. Meanwhile, things were becoming desperate.

@jackbarnes93

Housemate is having to go to the toilet in a box #newcross #stuckintheattic

But things took a turn for the dramatic when Barnes revealed that not only were they stuck up there, but his housemates had learned about an awkward coincidence.

@jackbarnes93

wow NEWS FLASH: housemate has found out that our other housemate’s Hinge date is actually her MSN boyfriend from when they were at school #newcross #stuckintheattic

Jack closed the article, which had been posted on the website of a newspaper that he picked up on the Tube sometimes, without reading the rest of it. It was making him feel a bit dizzy. Things had got a little out of hand.

Still, the good news was that it looked like – maybe, possibly – they might be about to be rescued. Among the other responses, Jack had also been tweeted by Lewisham Fire Brigade. They had a station just down the road.

@LondonFireBrigadeLewisham

Hi Jack. Looks like you’re in a bit of a pickle! Can we help? Ken

@jackbarnes93

Hi Ken yes we are stuck! but when we called no one could help. Jack

@LondonFireBrigadeLewisham

OK Jack, no worries. What is your address? Ken

@jackbarnes93

Hi Ken we are at 49 Rokeby Close. Jack

@LondonFireBrigadeLewisham

Great, thank you, Jack. We will be there as soon as we can. Ken

@jackbarnes93

Hi Ken oh great thank you!!!! Jack

After this exchange, Ken had sent Jack a DM promising they would ‘dispatch a truck as soon as we can’ and to ‘hang in there’.

Jack reckoned you could probably rely on firemen more than you could on locksmiths.