BIDDEFORD — An apartment building fire in Biddeford left one man dead and eight others homeless, authorities said.

The 39-year-old man who died was found in a first-floor apartment. The name of the dead man is being withheld as relatives are located out of state.

Biddeford Fire Chief Joe Warren said firefighters responded to a report of an explosion early Tuesday evening.

Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said in a statement Tuesday night that the blaze started shortly before 5:30 p.m. in a second-floor apartment of the six-unit house on Main Street.

Several callers reported seeing fire shooting from the apartment’s windows, he said.

A team of three investigators from State Fire Marshal’s Office was on scene Tuesday night to work with police and fire officials to determine the cause of the fire.

At least nine other people were living in the building, which was heavily damaged. The Red Cross says it is working to arrange temporary housing for the eight who were left homeless.