Neighbours have spoken about the horror of finding a fire had broken out in their block of flats after a suspected arson attack.
Firefighters from Gorleston joined crews from across Suffolk at around 9.45pm on Monday after a fire broke out in St Peter's Court in Lowestoft.
A total of 30 flats had to be evacuated and a man was arrested on suspicion of arson.
On Tuesday morning, a few marks of the fire could still be seen but no smoke could be smelt.
The fire appears to have affected the front of the block of flats facing to the east, on a ground floor flat.
Fire service tape still remains at the side of the building.
A fire exit door remains blocked off and various windows in the block of flats remain open.
One family with two young children, who wish to remain anonymous, live on the 12th floor and went to stay somewhere else for the night.
They said: "The fire seems to be arson and the person that did it set a bike on fire which then caused the ground floor flat to set alight.
"What is dodgy is none of the fire alarms went off.
"They used to be tested every Tuesday and they haven't been now for over a year.
"Obviously people near to the bottom of the flats knew they had to evacuate but none of us on the top knew we had to leave.
"It was scary. I know no one was hurt but it could have been a lot worse.
"We've just returned this morning. They were telling us to go back in because it was safe after it all but we wanted to just make sure before we went back in."
The fire service received a call shortly before 9.45pm and were at the scene until 1.06am.
Another resident who lives on the seventh floor of the flats, said: "I had no idea anything was happening. There were no fire alarms and I didn't smell anything.
"I wasn't forced to evacuate. It was mainly the people who live near the bottom floors."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here