Eighteen people were displaced after a fire at 322 West Broad St. in Tamaqua Wednesday.

John Burns, a state police marshal out of the Frackville station, was dispatched to the scene by the incident commander he said. Burns said it was too early to offer an assessment.

The fire was reported after 1 p.m. Firefighters rescued five people, four adults and 4-month-old from a third floor balcony, all of whom lived on that floor.

Briana Breisch, 22, her fiancé Michael Breeden, 23, and their friends, Samantha Boylan, 22, Jacob Hartzell, 24 and a baby, Zoey Hartzell, 4 months, Breisch said.

Breisch said she heard a smoke alarm going off and noticed smoke. She went in the hallway and saw it there also.

Alexandria Modawar, 13, said

“I saw flames everywhere.”She woke up her mother, Stephanie Giove, 34, and brothers Chris and Aidan, both 10. Her mother told her friend, Kaitlyn Huegel, 16, who was visiting to call 911.

Marshall Mueller, 8, Brady Mueller, 5, Mimi Mueller, 8, Alexander Medawar, 11, and Tory Mueller, 34, who is Alexandria Modawar’s stepfather live in the first floor. Tory Mueller was not home at the time of the fire. All others escaped unharmed.

John Chalk, 38, lives on the second floor with his two children, Jaedan, 5, and Trinity, 7. All were not home at the time.

Fire departments from Schuylkill and Carbon responded to the scene. The Red Cross was also on scene to assist the tenants.

Fire Chief Jim Connely said the fire is under investigation.