Gosport: Four taken to hospital after suspicious fire at block of flats

The fire service says everyone was accounted for following the blaze at the block of flats

A fire at a block of flats that saw four people taken to hospital is being treated as suspicious, police have said.

Firefighters were sent to the blaze at Somerset Court, Gosport, Hampshire, shortly after 00:30 BST.

The four people suffered burns and smoke inhalation in the blaze, which burnt through the stairwell and roof.

A number of flats suffered damage in the blaze with residents being temporarily rehoused in a nearby hotel.

The fire at Somerset Court burnt through the stairwell and into the roof

The four people have since been discharged from hospital.

About 60 firefighters were on the scene at the height of the fire and crews also rescued four dogs and three cats.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: "The fire is being treated as suspicious and police remain on scene making inquiries with the fire service."

Jay Payne, his wife and two daughters had to jump from their top floor flat to escape the fire

Jay Payne, 26, managed to get out of his top floor flat along with his wife and two daughters aged seven and four.

He said: "We woke up to the fire alarm, I opened the door and flames and smoke came through - the whole place went black. We were screaming at the top of our lungs for someone to help us.

"I chucked a mattress out the window and threw my kids out and then my wife and myself jumped.

"It was very traumatising - my four-year-old daughter has burns up her arms from her fingertips to her shoulders. The whole flat has gone we've got nothing left."

Crews in 10 appliances from across the Portsmouth area were sent to the fire

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue service station manager Nev Lewendon said: "The initial crews were met by a lot of people screaming and going into panic with quite a well established fire in the middle of three blocks of flats.

"People were struggling to get out of the building hence the panic- we put ladders up to windows to rescue people from the flats.

"The fire had spread throughout cavities and even now we are checking for hotspots."

Heritage Way remains closed

At least six out of the 23 flats are unliveable - the fire service said relief crews and the British Red Cross remained on scene.

Police and fire investigations at the flats were expected to continue through Thursday. A cause has not yet been established.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is urging anyone with information to come forward.

Heritage Way, the road leading up to the flats, remains closed.