5 homeless in downtown apartment house fire

Firefighters at the scene of a three-alarm blaze on Chestnut Street in Rochester on Friday. (JT Harmon photo)

ROCHESTER - Some five residents were left homeless on Friday as a fast-moving fire swept through a downtown apartment house.

Firefighters responded to the scene around 12:30 p.m. only to find heavy fire and smoke pouring from the second and third floors of the three-story wood frame structure at 1 1/2 Chestnut St.

All five residents who lived in the upper floors were able to get out. The bottom floor was unoccupied.

Rochester firefighters called for a third alarm to bring in additional manpower and got the blaze under control by around 2 p.m.

Upon a search of the building, firefighters rescued two cats still inside.

No firefighters were injured.
Red Cross officials met with the homeless to assist them with immediate living quarters.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation by the state fire marshal.
Fire departments from Barrington, Dover, Durham, Farmington, Milton, Somersworth, Strafford as well as South Berwick, Berwick, and York, Maine helped put out the fire.