FIREFIGHTERS were scrambled to a block of flats in Poole this evening.

Fire crews from Hamworthy, Poole, Westbourne, Redhill and Springbourne were called to the 10-storey building in Sterte Close at around 6.15pm.

The fire, which was located on the ground floor stairwell, had already been extinguished when the crews arrived.

A spokesman from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said the fire is believed to have been started deliberately.

The spokesman said: “It is believed to have been started maliciously. Someone appears to have set fire to a load of polystyrene insulation which had been left in the stairwell.

“The fire was extinguished by a resident by time the crews arrived.”

The spokesman said fire damage was caused to the stairwell and smoke damage was caused to the ground floor of the property.

Dorset Police has been notified.