A fire broke out around 2:15pm on Wednesday in an apartment block in Protaras, prompting the Fire Service to respond with three fire engines from the Famagusta Fire Station.
Firefighters arriving at the scene found the fire had spread to two apartments on Protaras Avenue, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor, and began tackling the blaze using breathing apparatus and water hoses. They also removed a person with mobility problems from an apartment opposite, who had been affected by smoke.
Police later said the building was evacuated in time and no one was put at risk. The Fire Service extinguished the blaze, though it caused extensive damage to two apartments, including the second-floor apartment where the fire is believed to have started, and lesser damage to four others.
Initial examinations suggest the fire started on the balcony of the second-floor apartment, with no indication it was started deliberately. Investigations are continuing.