The scene in Lower Vauvert after a suspected arson attack early yesterday which put three people in hospital. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0657562)

ARSON is thought to have been behind a fire at a Town flat in the early hours of yesterday. The emergency services attended the incident at 2.16am in Lower Vauvert following reports of a fire in the property above the Sitar Indian Restaurant.

Owner of the restaurant Usaf Ali was one of the first on the scene. ‘One of our chefs who lives across the road called me down,’ he said. ‘He thought the fire was in the restaurant.

‘I got the fire extinguisher out and starting spraying the door as the wood was burning. The tenants upstairs were hanging out of the window.

‘There was smoke everywhere so we opened the doors to let it out. His fiancee had bruises and blood on her face and they were suffering from smoke inhalation.’

A witness said that Mr Ali had managed to extinguish the fire quickly before the Fire and Rescue Service took over.

A third casualty, a 50-year-old neighbour who had entered the building to help, was also treated for smoke inhalation.