UPDATE: Police believe a fire at a Drayton childcare centre yesterday was deliberately lit.

A Goodstart Early Learning Drayton centre staff member found the fire inside a store room about 1.15pm Tuesday.

The 41 children and nine staff members were evacuated when Queensland Fire and Emergency Services arrived on scene.

QFES crews extinguished the fire, which had been contained to the store room.

Preliminary information indicates that a second fire had been extinguished at the opposite end of the building prior to police and emergency services arriving, suggesting it may have been deliberately lit.

Scenes of Crime, forensic officers and fire investigators established a crime scene, and investigations into the cause of the fire are continuing.

EARLIER: A fire in the store room of a Drayton childcare centre is being treated as suspicious by police.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services were called to the Rudd St centre about 1.25pm with reports of smoke coming from the building.

The centre was evacuated and QFES crews extinguished the blaze.

Police said the incident was under investigation and was considered suspicious until a cause was identified.

No children or staff were injured.