Residents were left fearing for their lives after a block of flats in Lochgelly was set on fire.
Emergency services were called to the block on Buller Street in the Fife town just before midnight on Tuesday.
Smoke was seen billowing from the three-storey building.
The blaze was started deliberately in a bin storage area on the ground floor.
Police have now launched an investigation.
Residents, many of whom were asleep went the fire broke out, had to be evacuated and a woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.
‘It was really scary – there was lots of shouting’
One man, who asked not to be named, told The Courier he did not know if he would make it out alive.
He said: “I was in my bed at the time and was woken by the smoke alarm.
“There was a strong smell of burning and when I opened my front door my flat was immediately filled with thick black smoke.
“The stairwell was completely filled with smoke and there was no visibility whatsoever.
“I woke my daughter and grabbed my dog, and immediately began feeling my way down the stairs.
“It was really scary and there was lots of shouting from other neighbours.
“I could not see a thing and for a moment did fear for my life, and wondered if we would make it out of the building.
“The fire engines arrived a short time later and firefighters rushed straight into the stairwell to get to the fire.
“My neighbour was treated by paramedics and then taken away in an ambulance due to smoke inhalation.”
The resident said he was angry at the news that the fire is being treated as deliberate.
He added: “It’s utter madness and I’m shocked to think that someone could have willingly started a fire in our building.
“Given what happened only a year ago to the flats on Francis Street, in which people were lucky to get out alive and which later had to be demolished, I’m also angry.
“Someone could have easily killed us all had the fire taken hold.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “At around 12.30am on Wednesday we received a report of a fire at Buller Street, Lochgelly.
“Emergencies services attended.
“One woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.
“The fire is being treated as suspicious and inquiries are ongoing.”
In September, a man and a woman were jailed after admitting to deliberately starting the Francis Street fire.
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