A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire destroyed a seventh-floor flat in an Easton tower block.

Six fire engines were called to the blaze in Rawnsley House, Highett Drive, after emergency calls at about 2.30pm yesterday.

Residents of the 16-floor block said they believed that one woman lived in the burnt-out flat but was out at work at the time. There were no reported casualties.

Police confirmed last night that they had arrested a man on suspicion of arson in connection with the blaze.

The heat of the fire caused the windows to explode, and firefighters had to use a turntable ladder to reach the seventh floor and put the flames out.

Several residents were evacuated from flats close to the blaze, but not the entire block. A crowd, including children arriving home from school, gathered to watch the drama.

Electrician Chris Thomas, aged 29, of Downend, was working nearby when he heard the windows explode and then saw the smoke.

He and local resident Chris Whitlock, 32, who works in a call centre, ran up to the seventh floor to check that there was no one in the flat.

They could not get very close to the blaze because of the heat, so they banged on other doors on the same floor and on the floor above to make sure all the neighbours had escaped to safety.

Mr Whitlock said: "The whole floor was full of black smoke. There was a horrible smell of burning plastic as well. The people that were coming out looked quite scared, but I don't think anyone was hurt."

Mother-of-two Ubah Osman, 29, lives in a flat on the ninth floor of Rawnsley House. She said: "I was in the kitchen with my two children, and some of my friends and their children were also in the flat with us. We had the balcony open, so we noticed the smoke, and got out. There was lots of smoke and flames in the flat that has had the fire.

"We were really frightened but I think we were lucky to get out in one piece.

"I don't know what we would have done if we didn't have the balcony open because we wouldn't have known there was a fire – no smoke alarms were going off."

Avon and Somerset police spokesman Simon Whitby said: "We are treating this fire as suspected arson. One man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and is in custody. Our inquiries continue."

James Bladon, spokesman for Avon Fire and Rescue, said: "Appliances from Temple, Speedwell, Kingswood, Bedminster and Brislington attended the fire.

"Four firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the building to deal with the fire. A number of people were evacuated from flats in the building."