PORTLAND – A fire Friday afternoon left six tenants homeless, caused a minor injury to a firefighter and created a dramatic scene as firefighters rescued a second-floor resident from a porch window with a 14-foot ladder.

The fire at 9 Crescent St. in Portland’s West End was reported at 3:43 p.m. When firefighters arrived, a woman on the second floor was peering out a window. Rather than try to take her out through the house, which was full of smoke on the first floor, firefighters decided to take her down on a ladder.

“We could have brought her down on the stairs, but the smoke condition was heavy. She was looking out the window when we arrived, so it made sense to use the ladder,” said Deputy Fire Chief Robert Wassick.

The building has three apartments and six tenants. The fire began in the rear of the first floor and was knocked down quickly.

One firefighter suffered a cut leg and was treated at and released from Maine Medical Center.

The fire was not suspicious, and the cause was believed to be electrical, Wassick said.

None of the six people who live in the building could stay there overnight Friday. Wassick said he believes the second-floor tenants will return home today, but “for the first floor, it’s going to be a little while longer.”

The Red Cross assisted with housing arrangements.