A HOUSE has been seriously damaged after a blaze in the upper floors.

A crew from Strood Fire Station estimated a quarter of the upstairs of the Carton Close home had been damaged.

The fire in the three-bedroom house began shortly after 3pm on Thursday and took firefighters an hour and a half to control.

A spokesman said: "People were believed to be in the house to start off. We went in with breathing apparatus but found nobody inside."

The cause of the fire is believed to be arson and police are investigating.