From Staff Reports

BIDDEFORD — Several families were displaced Saturday when a fire broke out around noon at a three-story apartment building at 202 Elm St., near the intersection with South Street.

Biddeford Fire Department Lt. Justin Cooper on Sunday said the fire, called in at 12:24 p.m., was knocked down quickly. He said when firefighters arrived, they found fire in a kitchen in a second-floor apartment, which was extending into the third floor.

Cooper said none of the occupants were injured, but a firefighter sustained a laceration to the hand.

Cause of the fire was not available this morning; calls to two of the fire department’s deputy chiefs were not returned by press time.

Cooper said some of the tenants’ pet cats were saved, but others are believed to have perished.

It was unclear how many tenants lived in the building. Cooper said both the American Red Cross and Vicky Edgerly, of the city’s health and welfare department, were notified of the fire and displacement of tenants.

Assisting Biddeford in fighting the fire were firefighters from Saco, Scarborough and Goodwin’s Mills, Cooper said, while Kennebunk, Arundel and Scarborough departments provided station coverage.