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Arson charge after man 'threatened with knives'

Getty Images A close-up of the PSNI crest on brown brick wall. The badge has a red cross in the centre of a star, surrounded by six emblems with include a harp, a crown, a shamrock and the scales of justice. The centre of the badge is surrounded by a black circle featuring the words Police Service of Northern Ireland in capital letters. Getty Images
Firefighters were called to the flat after police arrived at the scene on Friday night

A 46-year-old man has been charged after a Belfast building was evacuated due to an arson attack as police arrived to investigate a claim of a knife threat.

Officers were called to a flat on the Antrim Road at about 21:30 BST on Friday after receiving a report a man was threatened by a gang, some of whom had knives.

After arriving at the scene, officers "noticed that the property was on fire" and firefighters were called, a police statement said.

The man has been charged on suspicion of arson endangering life and is set to appear before Belfast Magistrates' Court on Monday.

No-one was injured during the fire.

The police have appealed to witnesses or anyone with CCTV or other footage of the scene to detectives.