Firefighters responded to the Bennet Apartments, a housing complex on Main Street in Manchester for senior citizens, just after 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to put out a fire that started in a kitchen in an apartment and carried out residents.
Officials said the fire was contained to one apartment on the third floor, but the elevators were out of service, so emergency officials carried several tenants out of the building.
Around 90 people live in the building and 22 were home when the fire started, officials said.
No tenants were injured and residents were brought to the Army-Navy Club nearby.
The fire appears to have started in the area of a stove, but an investigation into the origin and cause is underway.
The sprinkler system protecting the third floor and attic were turned off on Monday night because of leaks caused by the recent cold weather, according to fire officials.
The American Red Cross said residents from more than 40 units were displaced. They opened a reception center to help them and are working with the city to provide a safe place to stay and food for the people who are affected.
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Fire officials said no residents will be able to return to the apartment complex on Tuesday. Their goal is to have residents on the first and second floors back in their apartments by Wednesday.
Firefighters from East Hartford provided mutual aid.
