A house fire near Norwich Road in Ipswich last night is being treated as arson, police have confirmed.

The suspected deliberate fire at a semi-detached house in Blenheim Road started on a bed, according to initial police and fire investigations, a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said this morning.

Two engines from Ipswich East and Princes Street were sent to reports of a fire, thought to have started in the front room of the “multi-occupancy” two-storey home, at around 8.17pm on Saturday.

The house was evacuated by firefighters.

Police were also called to help firefighters tackle the flames safely by shutting a section of Blenheim Road close to its junction with Norwich Road.

Detectives have since confirmed they are treating the blaze as a suspected arson and an investigation is ongoing.

No arrests have been made at this time, a spokesman for Suffolk Constabulary said.

No-one is thought to have been hurt in the blaze, according to both police and fire chiefs.

Representatives for both services also said people inside the house were able to get out before the fire began to spread.

The fire was out by approximately 9.06pm but police and firefighters stayed at the scene carrying out investigations into the cause of the blaze.

They left at around 10.30pm.

A Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were called to a house fire in Blenheim Road close to Norwich Road at about 8.17pm.

“The fire was in a two-storey house, we sent two fire engines from Ipswich.

“It was out within the hour with a stop being called at 9.06pm.”