Police speak with Knox Street residents early Tuesday evening as firefighters battle a blaze in a four-story apartment building at 39 Knox St. All occupants escaped unharmed, but a cat and a dog perished, Lewiston Assistant Fire Chief Mark Anderson said. Joe Charpentier/Sun Journal

LEWISTON — Occupants of a four-story apartment building on Knox Street safely escaped the burning building early Tuesday evening, but a cat and a dog perished, Lewiston Assistant Fire Chief Mark Anderson said.

Firefighters use a ladder truck Tuesday evening to access the top floor of an apartment building the 39 Knox St. in Lewiston. Joe Charpentier/Sun Journal Firefighters searching through thick smoke were able to rescue several others pets, he said. Joe Charpentier/Sun Journal

Firefighters searching through thick smoke were able to rescue several others pets, he said.

The fire at 39 Knox St. was reported about 5:10 p.m.

Firefighters arrived to find flames and smoke coming from a first-floor apartment, Anderson said.

“Crews quickly deployed hose lines and an aggressive interior attack while also searching the building for occupants,” he said.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal was notified and the blaze remains under investigation, he said.

“The aggressive fire attack limited the fire to the first-floor front apartment with minimal extension to the second floor. Some third- and fourth-floor apartments had mild to moderate smoke damage, the assistant fire chief said.

Dozens of Knox Street residents crowded the opposite side of the street to watch from behind yellow police tape on Birch Street.

Knox Street and a section of Birch Street were closed to traffic.