Fire at Melbourne CBD apartment balcony

A high rise apartment block has caught fire in Melbourne's CBD, and 80 people told to leave.

Firefighters arrived at the block on Thursday night, in Katherine Place in Melbourne, and found a balcony on level 17 of the 28 level block fully alight.

The fire was sparked by wooden bed slats that had been stacked on an airconditioning unit and it was quickly brought under control, allowing residents back inside within an hour.