Witnesses suggested the man was a construction worker who had been working on the Heene Terrace property which is covered in scaffolding.

It is believed he was taken to Worthing Hospital suffering burns to his fingers.

Di Palmer, who lives two floors below the top floor flat where the blaze broke out, said: "I saw a man trying to put out the fire with a small household fire extinguisher, but obviously the flames were too much for him alone.

"I think it probably started as one of the builders who is doing work on the outside of our building was using a blow torch.

"I think a gust of wind must have caused it to spark as the offshore winds are very dangerous down here."

Di, a pilates instructor, had just arrived home for a break between classes when she smelled smoke.

"The minute I smelled smoke I dialled 999. I stopped to pick up a few possessions and then went stright outside.

"I didn't see any smoke or flames until I got outside. It's very worrying knowing you can't do anything and then seeing firefighters blasting water into your building.

"I have no idea how much damage there will be yet."

A dozen 999 calls

Ten fire engines were sent to the fire, after more than a dozen other people also dialled 999 shortly before 3pm today (Tuesday, June 17).

Roy Barraclough, Worthing district fire commander, said it was the second time crews had been called to a blaze in Heene Terrace in two years.

He said: "Because of this we knew the layout of the buildings which meant we knew what to expect, but I think it is just a coincidence."

Mr Barraclough said initial reports suggested somebody might have been trapped inside, but a search of the building found this to be untrue.

He confirmed nobody else had been hurt in the fire, but said it was too early to tell for sure what had happened or if the property had a working smoke alarm.

Gavin and Lynn Trimmer were walking along Marine Parade just after the drama began.

They and more than 100 other people gathered to watch as firefighters worked to douse the flames.

Gavin, from Worthing, said: "The flames were about a metre high and there was a lot of smoke. It looked quite bad and took them about 20 minutes to get control of it."

Marine Parade, between Heene Road and Wordsworth Road, was closed off for around 30 minutes but was reopened around 3.30pm.

Were you there? Did you see what happened? If so email katherine.mcglinchey@worthingherald.co.uk

-------------------------------------
Click here to go back to Worthing news.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: letters@worthingherald.co.uk