Members of the Belconnen Police Station responded to reports of a disturbance at the apartment around 6.35pm and found the unit on fire when they arrived.

A spokesperson for ACT Policing said two people were inside the apartment when the fire began, however no one was harmed and emergency crews had contained the fire to a single unit.

Police say witnesses reported a man deliberately setting fire to the unit.

A number of apartments in the complex were evacuated as a result of the fire, which was extinguished by fire crews. One unit was badly affected by the fire and eight suffered smoke damage.

The Belconnen man will appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning.