LEWISTON – A fire at 21 Stewart St. left homeowners Mike and Rachel Doucette shivering in the cold Sunday night as they watched firefighters battle the blaze.

The fire at the multifamily home was reported about 7:30 p.m. when a neighbor alerted Doucette to smoke pouring from his building.

“I was watching television when he knocked on my door,” Doucette said. “We immediately kicked in the doors to the apartments to make sure none of my tenants were in there.”

Although all three apartments were empty of people when the fire broke out, Doucette said he believes that two cats perished in the blaze.

“We got our dog out of the house just in case, even though it appears our portion of the house will be mostly spared,” Doucette said.

The Doucettes live in the main part of the building with their two children, who were not home at time of the fire.

Adjoining the left and rear portions of the house are apartments and a two-car garage, where smoke could be seen pouring out of the eaves.

Central Maine Power was called to cut electrical service as firefighters wielding chain saws climbed to the roof of the apartments.

The Auburn Fire Department assisted Lewiston firefighters with the blaze.

Doucette guessed that the fire started somewhere in the apartments.

Attempts to contact the tenants were being made Sunday night.

Doucette said he had insurance on the building, but it wasn’t known if any of the tenants had renter’s insurance.

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