Thick smoke blocked the group's only exit from the flats at Apex House in Oundle Road, Woodston, after a pile of clothes was deliberately set alight.

Fire chiefs say the fire had endangered the lives of the three, who would have been terrified at being trapped.

No one was injured in the incident, which happened yesterday at about 3.55pm, and fire crews from Stanground, Dogsthorpe, a turntable ladder from Dogsthorpe and a crew from Yaxley were called out to deal with the fire.

Control room staff reassured residents over the telephone that firefighters were on their way.

The three residents were urged to keep their doors closed and stand near an open window while four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the block of flats.

Residents were kept inside their flats to avoid smoke inhalation while firefighters continued to fight the blaze.

The fire was started deliberately when a pile of clothes was set alight in the communal corridor, following a domestic dispute but was quickly put out using two water jets.

Risk manager at Dogsthorpe Fire Station, Sean Brown said: "This incident put many people's lives at risk.

"It was a fire in the communal corridor of a high rise block of flats. Those residents who were unable to get out of the front door – and only exit – to their flats must have been terrified.

"Thankfully the fire service was informed about the incident quickly, and was able to extinguish the fire before it had a chance to develop."

Darren Wilson, who lives on the fifth floor, said: "I had been out for a couple of hours and got back to find the flat below mine on fire and smoke coming out of the windows.

"Some of the nearby flats were evacuated but not the whole building. It could have been a lot worse, what with the fire being so high up."

A 19-year-old man from Peterborough has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife and for a public order offence and remains at Thorpe Wood police station this morning.