Eight children among 18 evacuated in suspicious Perth blaze

18 people, including 8 children, have been evacuated by firefighters following a blaze in a block of flats in Perth.

Fire crews were called to the scene in Rannoch Road at 3.26am on Saturday to a report of a fire in the common close.

They were handed to paramedics as some were suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

The blaze was extinguished by 4.14am.

The incident is being treated as suspicious and a joint investigation will be carried out by police and the fire service.