AUGUSTA – An early morning fire at a Drew Street apartment building left six residents homeless today.

Fire was reported at the apartment building at 23 Drew Street just after 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

Fire damage was contained to a second floor apartment, but the entire second floor sustained heavy smoke and water damage and the third and first floors also sustained some smoke and water damage, according to Augusta Battalion Chief Steve Leach.

Six residents of the eight-unit apartment building, which is owned by Royce Watson, of Augusta, were displaced by the fire. Leach said the residents were placed in a local motel, by the American Red Cross, for the time being. He said residents of the first and third floors of the building would likely be able to return to their apartments fairly quickly, following some repairs.

Leach said the fire started in the living room couch of the second floor apartment where most of the damage occured, and appears to have been caused by improperly discarded smoking materials.

The cause is not under further investigation.

There were no injuries to either firefighters or residents.

Firefighters from Gardiner and Togus also responded to help Augusta fight the fire.

Firefighters were on the scene for about two hours.