Five people saved from 'deliberate' house fire in Plymouth

Police are investigating after five people had to be saved from a burning building which the fire service say was set alight deliberately.

Crews from both Camelshead and Greenbank stations responded to the call out at around 4.15am this morning (20 March).

Upon arrival firefighters had to rescue five people who were trapped in the block of flats.

Four people were saved from the first floor flat with the help of a ladder while one more was rescued from the ground floor through a window.

The fire was extinguished using two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet and a thermal imaging camera.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue service says the source of the fire was rubbish in a communal area of the building.

After it was determined the fire was started intentionally, the fire service passed the case over to Devon and Cornwall Police for further investigation.