JAY — Three firefighters received minor injuries Tuesday night after a fire swept through a three-story, six-apartment house at 6 Jewell St. It displaced about 10 people.

The cause is under investigation, Fire Rescue Chief Mike Booker said.

A dog, three cats and a hamster perished in the fire. Initially it was believed that no dogs perished.

Everyone who lived there escaped without injury.

The community is rallying around the tenants of the house who lost everything.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, the building was fully involved. One tenant was unaccounted for but was found three to five minutes later with his dog.

Three firefighters were treated at the scene for injuries by NorthStar EMS ambulance personnel, Booker said. They were treated and released at the scene.

State fire investigators and Jay firefighters are expected to be on the scene Wednesday to try and determine the cause, he said. Three investigators responded to the fire reported at about 9:48 p.m.

Besides the apartment building, the fire burned two of the tenants’ vehicles in the parking lot, Booker said.

It destroyed a shed on the property and burned a workshop adjacent to the building at 8 Jewell St. There was also some heat damage to that residence.

At the adjacent 4 Jewell St., a residence had all of its windows on the side facing the fire blown out from the heat, he said.

“There was extensive heat,” he said.

A fire destroyed a three-story, six-unit apartment building and displaced about 10 people on Tuesday night at 6 Jewell St. in Jay. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

The home at 6 Jewell St. sits down in a driveway behind Franklin Savings Bank on Main Street and across from the St. Rose Church Community Center.

About 63 firefighters responded from fire departments in Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Wilton, East Dixfield, Farmington, Chesterville and Turner. Two of three injured firefighters were treated for heat-related issues and the third had an elbow injury.

Law enforcement from Jay, Livermore Falls, Wilton, and Franklin and Androscoggin counties responded to assist with traffic control, crowd control and to help evacuate the residents in nearby buildings, Booker said. Three NorthStar EMS ambulances also responded to help along with Scott Greenleaf, superintendent of the Livermore Falls Water District.

The fire rekindled at about 3:25 a.m. Wednesday, and firefighters returned to the scene.

American Red Cross was notified and is believed to be helping dislocated tenants.

Booker said the building is owned by Nate Caruso of Texas. The building is insured but it is unknown if the tenants had rental insurance, he said.

Erica Poland, owner of Gigi’s Pizzaroni at 150 Main St. in Jay, is collecting items for fire victims.

Poland went to Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, also on Main Street in Jay, and bought a walker with a seat for a person whose apartment was lost along with everything else. The pharmacy sold it at their cost, which was a reduction of $40, she said.

She is offering free meals to fire victims. She had two of the families in her business at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The fire victims have nothing, Poland said.

Josh and Laurie Tarbush and their daughter, Scotlyn, 9, lived on the third floor of the apartment building in Unit 6. Their dog, two cats and a hamster died in the fire, Poland said.

Franklin Savings Bank at 9 Main St. and Jay Baptist Church at 27 Smith Ave., off East Dixfield Road, is also accepting donations.

Clothing is needed in the following sizes:

• Women’s shirts in medium, XL and XXL; pants in sizes 10 and 18-22; and shoes — sizes 8 and 9 1/2.

• Men’s shirts — large; pants – 32 x 34, large; and size 11 shoes.

• Youth girls shirts – size 10/12; size 10 pants; and size 2 shoes.