A man was assaulted in a flat where a fire started a short time later.
Three women were rescued by firefighters after the blaze broke out in a tenement flat in Forrest Road, Edinburgh, at about 12.10am on Tuesday.
One woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious.
Officers are also investigating an earlier assault in the flat where the fire started.
The man living in the property suffered facial injuries in the attack and was treated at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Detective Sergeant Mark Lumsden, of Gayfield CID, said: "Thankfully no-one was seriously injured as a result of this fire but it has caused alarm and inconvenience to the residents and the local businesses.
"We are also keeping an open mind as to the connection between the earlier assault of the occupier and the following fire."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 0036 of June 20.
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