A MAN was arrested after a fire broke out at his ground-floor flat.

Firefighters were called to Church Road, Basildon, after a man reported a blaze in his bedroom on Saturday morning.

On arrival, fire crews found the room was well alight, but it was shut off from the rest of the home so the fire didn’t spread.

The 32-year-old man, who lives alone, was not injured by the fire or smoke, but was arrested by police in connection with the fire.

He was later released and Essex Police, who said the man has mental health issues, and will not be investigating the fire any further.

Resident Joy Peters, 71, of Church Road, said: “I saw all the smoke and fire engines and police, but I didn’t see any flames or anything like that.

“There were quite a few people who came out to have a look.”

The bedroom was destroyed by the fire and the rest of the home was heavily smoke-damaged, while the flat above received some smoke damage too.

Steve Osborn, sub-officer for Basildon fire station’s White Watch, said the blaze was believed to have started on a mattress.

He said: “None of the occupants were in the upstairs flat, so there was no need to evacuate any of the homes.”