As smoke flows out of windows on one side of "The Villager" apartments, residents gather on the other side.  Lisa Dean says with the hallways full of thick smoke she, her young niece, and mother had to punch out a window screen to escape.

"I climbed out and I grabbed her and I said 'Come on Te-Te..You gotta go now..You gotta get outta here'.  The cat would not come out from under the bed.  I told my mom, 'Mom get whatever you can..Your purse..Whatever..We gotta get outta here now', explains Dean.

While many of the residents got out on the own, the building's manager says he was worried about a number of elderly renters up on the third floor.

"We had to break all the windows, and we got the ladders up from the fire department.  And we got them out.", states Joe Clark, apartment manager.

Realizing they had both a working fire, as well residents to rescue, the first crews on the scene called for help.  Captain Bill Jones, with the Canfield Fire Department, "I immediately called for assistance from Austintown and Green..Along with our own people with callbacks."

As paramedics treated a handful of residents for smoke inhalation, others worried about the pets they had to leave behind.  Some ran up to the building when they spotted their cats, police right behind urging them to stay back.  Meantime, additional manpower was needed to dowse the flame and give first responders a breather from the heat.

"It's still a matter of personnel.  You get something this size.  That's why the term 'Mutual aid' comes into play.  We all help each other anytime we need it.", explains Captain Jones.

We're told only two people had to be taken to St. Elizabeth's in Boardman for some minor injuries.

While neighbors told me the fire may have been started by an oven in one of the units, but the fire department has not confirmed that yet.