TWO men had to be rescued by firefighters after fire engulfed the staircase outside their flats.

Flames from a motorbike and pile of rubbish quickly spread to the part-wooden stairwell of the three-storey maisonettes in Swift Close, Larkhill, Blackburn.

Four fire crews were called at 10.45pm last night and arrived to find the area well alight and two men in difficulty.

Blackburn watch manager Steve Morely said: “A motorbike and some rubbish underneath the stairwell had been deliberately set on fire and that had spread.

“One man had to be rescued from a first floor window and we also had to get another man who was trying to make his way down the stairs with ladders.

“Both were taken to hospital for precautionary checks. Another man had evacuated himself.

“The stairs have been very badly damaged.”

Officers spent an hour-and-a-half at the scene. Police were yesterday questionning one man in connection with the fire, but stressed they did not yet know how it had started.

Yesterday charred remains of the motorbike were still visable on a grassed area beside the flats and front doors were boarded up beside the staircase.

A neighbour said: “I heard a big bang all of a sudden and went to have a look but the firefighters told me to get back into my flat and cordened the area off while they dealt with it.

“I heard someone was rescued from it . It’s pretty worrying it’s happened here.”

Another neighbour who asked not to be named, said: “I wasn’t at home at the time, but it was a shock to see the mess that’s been caused.

“I have two young children and this is not the kind of activity you want to see on your doorstep.”

Detective sergeant Rob Anderson of Blackburn CID said they were treating the incident very seriously.

He said: “We are investigating what happened and witnesses are being spoken to.

“At the moment it’s too early to say what caused the fire, whether it be arson or an accidental fire.

“But one man has been arrested and is being questioned."