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NORWAY — The State Fire Marshals Office is appealing to the public for help after the second fire in a week at 80 Beal St. destroyed the apartment house Thursday morning.

The early morning blaze leveled the three-unit apartment building at 80 Beal St, and damaged two nearby homes, fire investigators said.

Although the cause of the fire is still being investigated, fire officials are turning to the public for help. Anyone with information is asked to call the Fire Marshals Office at 1-888-870-6162.

A fire last weekend in the basement of the apartment building caused minor damage and was quickly brought under control.

A person living on the second floor and a couple living on the third floor were displaced by Thursday’s blaze. The first floor was empty, Fire Chief David Knox said.

The Norway Fire Department was contacted about 6:24 a.m., Knox said. When crews arrived, the back half of the structure was fully engulfed in flames.

The 2½-story structure could not be saved, Knox said, so firefighters went into a purely defensive mode to save the neighboring buildings.

Homes at 4 Tucker St. and 7 Bolster Place sustained damage to siding, but are still livable, Knox said.

A total of 18 fire departments sent at least one truck to help out, although Knox said a few were sent home or were used for station coverage. Those departments included Paris, Oxford, Otisfield, Mechanic Falls, Hebron, Waterford, Woodstock, Harrison, Greenwood and Poland, Sweden, Auburn, Bridgton, Naples, West Paris and Raymond.

Power was shut off to assist in fighting the blaze. Flames were brought under control by 8:14 a.m., Knox said.

Because the fire was downtown, water pressure from the hydrant was not an issue despite temperatures at 5 below to 10 below zero, Knox said.

The building is owned by A&L Blackridge Group, a privately held real estate investment company based in Portland. According to town records, its assessed value is $142,873.

The American Red Cross provided assistance to some of the victims.