Apartment block destroyed by fire in Melbourne

A fierce fire has destroyed a block of units under construction in Melbourne’s south-east, forcing nearby residents to be evacuated.

Around 50 firefighters were called to Dunstan Street in Clayton last night to tackle the blaze, which started around 10pm.

The fire destroyed one block and left a neighbouring building with broken windows and minor external damage.

Witness Kashish Sinduria told 9NEWS the flames from the fire were “so hot” he couldn’t stand by his door.

“I was afraid…I could feel the heat on my whole body,” Mr Sinduria said.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade has described the damage to the building under construction as "extensive".

It estimates the damage bill to be in excess of $100,000.

A crew remained on scene overnight and investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.