POLICE and the Essex fire service are investigating after being called to a fire in a first floor flat this morning.
The fire service was called to the flat in Bellevue Road at around 7am.
One crew, from Southend fire station, attended the blaze and found the front door of the flat alight, with the flat itself 100 per cent smoke logged.
Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus searched and ventilated the flat but no-one was found.
Once the fire had been put out, the crew used a positive pressure fan to clear the flat of smoke.
Station officer Barrie May said: "The fire is being treated as suspicious.
"A fire investigating is in process, by both the fire service and the forensic team at Essex Police."
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