About 20 residents had to evacuated in their nightwear after smoke filled a hallway at Queens' Court, off St Anne's Drive in Redhill.
The incident broke out at about 12.45 this morning.
A faulty light fitting fell down onto a pram, causing the hallway of the three-story block to be smokelogged, according to one Reigate firefighter.
He said: "It wasn't an ideal night for people to have to wait outside because it was cold and rainy.
"There was a couple with a young baby, so we let them stay in the cab of our fire engine."
Residents were allowed to return to their flats after about 90 minutes.
