A RESIDENT of a block of flats in Weymouth was taken to hospital after an arsonist set fire to the building.

Dorset Police are investigating the cause of the fire, which they believe to be deliberate.

Tenants fled the building in East Street after being alerted to the fire by the smoke alarm in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Elizabeth Santonna, who owns the block of flats with husband Robert, said: “We were called at about 2am by one of our tenants, who were all stood outside.

“When you’ve been a landlord for 40 years this isn’t as shocking as you might think, but I just don’t understand why anyone would do something so idiotic.”

Mrs Santonna said she was told by police that a piece of netting was used to start the fire.

She said: “Part of the net curtain is missing from an upstairs window, which, as far as I’m aware, it wasn’t before.

“But it’s in a different part of the house to where the fire was.”

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said the fire happened in a ground floor corridor. A spokeswoman said: “Officers received two calls to a fire in a building on East Street at 1.58am.

“The fire had been extinguished and residents had vacated the building prior to attendance.

“An occupier was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and later taken to hospital. The cause is believed to be deliberate.”

The ground floor corridor was damaged by fire and the rest of the building suffered smoke damage.

Mr Santonna said: “It’s a mystery.

“The door where the fire was leads out to the yard, but there is no letterbox. I don’t know how they got in the house because the doors are always locked.”

The block of flats on East Street hit the headlines in October when residents were again evacuated due to a fire. He added: “This could have been so much worse.

“We always make sure our properties have a working smoke alarm.”

The Dorset Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman warned residents to test their fire alarms.

RASH OF ARSON ATTACKS

THE latest fires follow a spate of arson attacks on one day.

The fires happened on the Rodwell Trail at 3.54pm, an area between Dumbarton Road and Osprey Road, Wyke Regis, at 5.42pm, and gorse bushes behind the Sea Life Park at Lodmoor were reported to be alight at 6.42pm.

There was also a fire on Louviers Road, Littlemoor, at 10.10pm.

The four incidents took place on Tuesday, March 27.

There is no suggestion that the grass fires are connected to the fire on East Street.

Dorset Police are asking anyone with information to contact them on 101.