LAWRENCE (Jay Hermacinski / Edited by Kristen Schwartzkopf).- Lawrence firefighters battled an apartment blaze near Post Road and Pendleton Pike Tuesday night.

Fire truck emergency lights lit up the night outside the Brigadier Apartments on Post Road.

Crews arrived on the scene before 7 o'clock. By then, people living at the apartment complex were making sure everyone was safe.

"I seen the flames. I was scared. I didn't know what was going on. It was pretty nerve racking" said resident Dawn Yell.

"A lot of fire. I called 911. Another tenant was down here beating on doors making sure everybody was down," said one resident who did not want to give his name.

Investigators say the fire started in a staircase area. Earlier in the evening, contractors were using a blow torch to remove part of the structure.

After the contractors left for the day, the fire started. The flames spread quickly into the attic, and then shot out the roof.

The two upstairs apartments were vacant. Fire fighters say the occupants of the two downstairs apartments were not at home when the fire broke out.

Smoke and water damaged at least two more apartments.

"Looks like maybe 3-4 families out after the initial survey I took" said lawrence BN Chief Dino Batalis.

The cold temperatures did not hamper fire fighting efforts. Firefighters say the hydrants worked and the water pressure was fine. No one was hurt.