A father has spoken of his horror as the flat next door to his burst into flames, leading to an arson arrest.

Police are questioning a 56-year-old man from Chandler’s Ford following the blaze in the early hours of this morning (1 September).

Suffolk Drive was swarming with fire crews and police as firefighters quelled the blaze, which began shortly after 12am.

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The fire was contained to the ground floor flat, the fire service said.

Neighbour Chris Veal, 41, had been asleep before waking up to the sound of banging on his door and the site of smoke.

Speaking to the Echo, he said: “Me and my wife were asleep and then one of our neighbours who had literally just come home from the airport was banging on my door and woke us up, and then we heard the sound of the fire alarm.

“I could see smoke outside our window and my first thought was to get my children outside and safe, who are aged five and seven.

“I just quickly threw some clothes on, didn’t even think about shoes, and got outside as quickly as possible.”

He added: “If it wasn’t for my neighbour who happened to arrive home at that exact moment I dread to think what might have happened.”

One of Chris’s other neighbours further down the road took in his wife and children as he stood outside his home watching the firefighters from Eastleigh and Redbridge stations at work.

The fire was put out by 12.45am and crews ventilated the building and made sure it was safe until they left at 1.18am.

“They were here so quickly,” he said.

“I was just happy to be out of the building - you don’t think about yourself but I was fearing for my children’s safety as they’re so young. They were terrified and shaking with fear.

“I’ve not seen anything like it, there was black smoke everywhere and the flame looked like it had come from a jet engine, it was horrible.”

As the sun rose this morning, the extent of the damage was clear to see.

A charred hole where the window of the flat was surrounded by streaks of black soot made clear where the fire had been.

A police cordon was around the building with an officer guarding the scene.

Chris added: “I’ve never been in this situation before but I can’t emphasise enough how quickly you have to act.

“We’re fortunate that we’ve been allowed back in now but everything stinks of burnt plastic and we’re breathing it in.

“The whole thing has been incredibly difficult to comprehend.”

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.