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Burning Cigarette On Couch Apparent Cause Of Salem Apartment Fire

SALEM (CBS) – About 40 people are looking for a new place to live after a fire tore through a Salem apartment complex overnight.

Flames broke out just after 1 a.m. Tuesday and heavy smoke billowed up the side of the four-story building on Dow Street.

There were no serious injuries. Firefighters used a ladder to rescue a man from a fourth floor window.

Patrick Marino lived on the fourth floor. He told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 people helped each other out

"I got my family out and as I went down one stairwell, I pounded on doors. And my brother went down the other stairwell and he pounded on doors. Between that and everyone taking it seriously, everyone just got the hell out," he said.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports

Salem Apartment Fire

Investigators say the fire apparently started when someone left a cigarette burning on a couch outside on a first floor porch.

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