Resident were evacuated from the Cheston Street and Market Place area of Carrickfergus early this morning after a wheelie bin was lit and pushed up against a shop shutter.
The residents were moved from their homes due to a suspected gas leak. No one was injured in the incident.
Sergeant Stephen Mellon said residents have since been allowed to return to their homes.
“The fire is being treated as deliberate at this time,” he said.
“I would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area to get in contact with police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 163 of 11/6/18,” he added.
And he’s appealing to people who may have seen a man in a grey hoodie, who was reported to be in the area just before the fire started.
