Emergency services were called to a ground level flat on North Street just before 2:30pm after two tradies spotted flames coming from a window and tried to fight it with a garden hose as they called Triple Zero.

Firefighters managed to knock the fire down with minimal damage to the unit before handing the site over to Oxley police, who established a crime scene.

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Detectives combed the area on Thursday afternoon and have made inroads in the investigation, but are appealing for anyone with information, CCTV footage or dashcam footage to let police know.

Oxley Detective Inspector Jason Darcy told the Leader police believe the fire could have been a targeted attack and there are people in the community who know what happened.

He urged anyone who could assist the investigation to come forward to Tamworth police or to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Firefighters largely confined the blaze to a box of Christmas decorations in the loungeroom but there was some smoke damage to the unit.

The occupants were not home at the time and no injuries were reported.

A HOME has been damaged by fire and smoke after tradies discovered a blaze inside a North Tamworth unit and fought it with a garden hose as firefighters rushed to the scene.

The Triple Zero call came in just before 2:30pm on Thursday and emergency services urgently headed for a block of units in North Street.

Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Tom Cooper told the Leader there were flames emerging from a downstairs window when the two trucks and eight firies first arrived.

Crews quickly got to work and conducted a search and rescue operation to make sure no one was inside the unit.

"The fire was quickly extinguished and was confined to the downstairs loungeroom," he said.

"Firefighters prevented the fire from getting any worse ... they knocked it down and stopped it from extending to the upstairs units and the units next door."

Superintendent Cooper said the blaze was largely confined to a plastic tub which had a plastic Christmas tree inside it, along with other festive decorations.

There were "large plumes of smoke" which caused damage to the unit, he said.

Superintendent Cooper said fire crews believe the cause of the blaze may be suspicious and handed the scene over to Oxley police to investigate after it was extinguished.

He said police were awaiting the arrival of detectives on Thursday afternoon.

The unit's residents were not home at the time and no injuries were reported, but it is understood they arrived back at the block during the ordeal.

Superintendent Cooper said a working smoke alarm was active at the home when crews arrived and it proved a timely reminder to make sure all smoke alarms are in good order.

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