POLICE are treating a fire at a block of flats in south Belfast as arson.
Residents had to be evacuated after the blaze was started in the communal hallway of the building at Ulsterville Avenue on Monday at around 8.40am.
A PSNI spokesman said: "The fire, which was extinguished by colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, resulted in damage to the hallway, and residents who were inside the building at the time were evacuated whilst emergency services dealt with the incident.
"Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries, however, had this fire managed to spread, the consequences could have been devastating.
"We are treating the incident as arson with intent to endanger life, and are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed any suspicious activity, or may have information which could assist us in our enquiries, to call 101."
