Fire has guttered a unit at Merewether.
Newcastle Fire Command received several triple-oh calls just after 2.00am on Wednesday to a 3 storey unit complex in Watkins Street, with crews arriving to find a ground floor unit well alight.
It's taken firefighters from Merewether and Newcastle about an hour to extinguish the flames.
The male occupant managed to escape unharmed, but the unit and it's contents were destroyed, leaving him homeless.
Around 50 residents were evacuated - they've since been allowed to return to their units.
It's believed the fire started on the balcony where a motorbike and bike parts were stored.
Police have set up a crime scene as investigations continue.
