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Flames and smoke rise from the third-floor roof of the apartment building at 24 Union St. in Livermore Falls early Monday morning. Four people were displaced, two firefighters were injured and two cats perished in the blaze, according to Nathan Guptill, chief of Livermore Falls Fire Rescue Department. About 60 firefighters from several towns responded to assist. (Courtesy of Livermore Falls Fire Rescue Department)

Tenants escaped a burning apartment building early Monday, but two firefighters were injured and taken to a hospital, and two cats perished at 24 Union St. in Livermore Falls.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, heavy smoke was showing from the third-floor apartment, according to Nathan Guptill, Livermore Falls Fire Rescue chief.

The fire was reported just after 1 a.m. and a preliminary investigation indicated the cause was electrical, he said.

Fire spread to the roof and extended to the whole length of the roof line, Guptill said.

The two people on the third floor and a woman and man in two separate units on the second floor were able to get out of the building.

The third-floor apartment is completely gutted and the second floor was flooded. Guptill said he thinks the building will be deemed a total loss. Walls had to be torn down to put the fire out, he said.

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A firefighter from the Livermore Falls department tripped and fell down while trying to put out the fire, bruised some ribs and was taken by ambulance to MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington. Another firefighter from Jay was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for injuries, Guptill said.

Investigators from the Office of State Fire Marshal were on the scene Monday morning to try to determine the cause, he said.

Livermore Falls firefighters cleared the scene at 6:30 a.m.

An electrical issue is suspected of causing a fire early Monday morning in the third-floor of this apartment building at 24 Union St. in Livermore Falls. Four people escaped the blaze, according to Nathan Guptill, Livermore Falls Fire Rescue chief. (Donna M. Perry/Staff Writer)

Meghan Staples, a tenant on the third floor, wrote on Facebook that her fiancé woke her up at 1 a.m. to tell her the building was on fire. She wrote that they lost everything. They were meeting with representatives of the American Red Cross on Monday morning. She and her fiancé and Stella, her service dog, were able to get out.

About 60 firefighters from Canton, Farmington, Jay, Leeds, Livermore, Livermore Falls and Wilton responded to extinguish the fire. Mexico Fire Department brought its mobile machine to fill up air bottles for breathing apparatus. Livermore Falls police also responded.

The building is owned by Litchfield Realty Holdings LLC, town Treasurer Rebecca Harmatys said. The town values the building at $207,340, and together with the land it is valued at $247,000, she said town records show.

Guptill said he was thankful for the crews that responded and to the community members that sent them coffee.

Donna M. Perry is a general assignment reporter who has lived in Livermore Falls for 30 years and has worked for the Sun Journal for 20 years. Before that she was a correspondent for the Livermore Falls...