Fire investigators are trying to discover what caused a blaze to break out in an empty flat.

It led to the entire block, at Clockhouse, Ashford, being evacuated.

Fire crews were first called at 10am on Sunday after the flames first erupted in the lounge of the ground floor flat.

The home ended up with 20 per cent fire damage and 100 per cent smoke damage and some smoke drifted into neighbouring flats.

Ashford Fire Station crew manager Pat Hillman said: "The fire happened that morning when the occupants were out so the cause is still being investigated."

Occupants from the three-storey block's remaining 11 flats were allowed back inside after an hour.