Arson could have been the cause of a blaze at a house on Canvey Island in the early hours of this morning.

An Essex Police spokesman said police and fire crews were called to a house on fire in Long Road, Canvey Island, just before 3am today.

The blaze is believed to have started on the verandah of the property and then spread to the rest of the house.

The house was unoccupied as the owner is away, and officers have described the cause as "of doubtful origin." In a separate incident a 27-year-old man was rescued from a house fire in Chelmsford.

A police spokesman said the fire brigade was called to a flat in St Michael's Walk just after midnight today to tackle a ground floor flat fire. No-one was injured in the blaze.

A man is in custody and is helping police with their inquiries.

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