Smoke was seen pouring from the upper floors of the building in Queens Road, near the junction with Waterworks Road, in Hastings town centre at around 11.30am on Tuesday (February 8). Fire crews from The Ridge, Hastings, Bexhill, Battle, Herstmonceux, Hailsham and Eastbourne were sent to the scene.
They used an aerial ladder platform, six breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets to extinguish the flames, which had spread across three residential floors of the property.
Sussex Police and East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service are investigating the cause of the blaze.
A spokesperson for Sussex Police said today (February 10): “One man has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the production of a Class B drug and released under investigation while enquiries continue. Any witnesses to the fire or anyone with any other information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Sussex Police online or by calling 101 quoting serial 417 of 08/02.”
The property was empty when the fire broke out. A spokesperson for South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said ambulance crews - including a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) - attended the incident, but no patients were taken to hospital.
Queens Road remained closed while firefighters carried out salvage work and a building inspector examined whether the property was safe.
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Firefighters at the scene of the blaze in Queens Road, Hastings town centre.
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Fire in Queens Road, Hastings, on 8/2/22. SUS-220802-134622001
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Fire in Queens Road, Hastings, on 8/2/22. SUS-220802-134648001
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Fire in Queens Road, Hastings, on 8/2/22. View from Waterworks Road. SUS-220802-134753001