A fire broke out at in the early morning on Wednesday in an apartment at the abandoned St Nicolas complex in Chlorakas.

According to the police, two fire engines rushed to the scene and extinguished the blaze before it spread.

The fire caused damage to the floor and walls of the apartment.

Despite the complex having been closed off and placed under guard last September, illegal migrants still occasionally squat in the building, state broadcaster CyBC reported.

The notorious complex where hundreds of migrants had been squatting under squalid conditions saw riots sparked last year, after authorities shut off water and electricity when the building was declared condemned.

Residents were then ordered to seek alternative accommodation or accept accommodation offered by the state in Kofinou.

During a visit squatters had told the Cyprus Mail that the accommodation at Kofinou was not adequate to their needs as the facility is isolated and far removed from work possibilities.