A FIRE in a block of flats in Horley town centre last night is under investigation.
It is thought the blaze, which broke out at the base of the emergency escape stairwell, may have been started deliberately.
Police and fire service teams have been brought in to investigate.
Fire crews were called to four-storey Elbourne House in Lumley Road at about 6.20pm on Thursday. Communal areas of the building, which houses shops on the ground floor and flats above, were heavily smoke-logged when fire crews arrived.
A pump from Horley Fire Station was first on scene, followed by engines from Reigate and Crawley.
All residents had safely evacuated the building.
Watch commander at Horley, Simon Harris, said: "We were called to an automatic fire alarm but on route it was confirmed as a fire.
"The fire was in the fire escape stairwell on the ground floor. We smashed to door in to get access to it and used one hose reel to extinguish it."
Smoke had filled the stairwell and corridors in the building and six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building and used a fan to clear the smoke, he said.
"We had the fire dog there last night to see if any accelerants were used. At this stage the fire is still under investigation by the police and fire investigation team. It is possible it was started deliberately."
If it was, the location of the blaze - in the fire escape - made it particularly serious, he added.
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