A SEARCH is underway to find the person responsible for an arson near a police station.

Emergency services were called to Northgate Avenue in Crawley yesterday evening, close to the police station in the town.

Eyewitnesses took to social media to report seeing a police cordon in the area.

A police spokesman said that the fire is being treated as a “deliberate ignition”.

He said: “Emergency services responded to reports of a fire on Northgate Avenue in Crawley around 8.10pm on Saturday, October 1.

“The fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported.

“The matter is being treated as a deliberate ignition and an area search is currently ongoing to locate the suspect.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact police online or by calling 101, quoting serial 1159 of 01/10.

The police spokesman also confirmed the fire was "near the police station, but the station itself was not set alight".