About 10 people were left homeless by a fire that heavily damaged a two-story, two apartment building, city firefighters said Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Fran Robillard said the fire appeared to have started outside one of the entrances to the Pine Street building.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he said.
There were no injuries in the fire, but Robillard said three or four cats died.
Several eyewitnesses said the fire engulfed an enclosed porch on one side of the house.
Daniel DayGray, who was next door, said one of the house's residents had to break out of his apartment.
``The flames were everywhere,'' DayGray said. ``The guy who was in there had to break through the window to get out. His wife was on the porch and he handed out the baby to her.''
At one stage, when firefighters were struggling to extinguish the blaze, the smoke and steam reduced visibility dramatically, even on the street outside the house.
``I can't hardly see my house,'' said Robert Lauro, who lives next door.
From the porch, the flames climbed up the side of the house, catching hold in the walls and under the roof of the building.
Firefighters on a ladder truck cut a hole in part of the roof to attack the fire from above.
Robillard said all off-duty city firefighters were called in as well as firefighters from the town or Rutland.
Michael Lobdell, 33, who lives in the upstairs apartment, said the flames struck just before he planned to move out of that apartment.
``I was in the process of moving out,'' he said. ``This happens the day before I move out.''
