Queensland Fire and Emergency Services received a call after noon on Wednesday following a report a small block of units was on fire on Rosecliff Street at Highgate Hill.

The fire was under control by about 12.40pm.

The fire was first thought to have started in the garage where five cars were set alight but was later revealed to have sparked above the garage in an upstairs apartment.

"It appears to have done minor damage to the apartment," a QFES spokeswoman said.

"Crews are now undertaking a clean-up and are assessing the damage and at this point, we don't know if there were any people in the units."

She said it was too soon to tell whether the fire was suspicious.

A QFES spokesman said two crews were initially on the scene after reports of the lower part of the building was ablaze.

"There is black smoke travelling in the air but so far there are no reports of injuries."

QFES received a call from the University of Queensland with concerns over the smoke seen by students at the campus.

A QFES spokesman said there was no cause for alarm regarding the nearby university.

"We received a call from UQ asking what was going on but there is nothing to worry about, the university is not on fire," he said.

"I'm sure the students were hoping to skip their exams today and scare their teachers but there seems to be just black smoke around the area as crews work to control the fire at Highgate Hill."

Police closed Rosecliffe Street at the intersection of Gladstone Road and Ampthill Street to assist QFES.