Altoona City firefighters responded to a dwelling fire at 1716 Eighth Ave. on Monday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

A fire Monday afternoon damaged a four-unit apartment house on the 1700 block of Eighth Avenue, displacing the three residents, but without causing any injuries.

It was the fourth fire in the Altoona area in four days — three in the city and one in Lakemont.

Monday’s fire started in a wall between two occupied second-floor apartments in the brick building, but was quickly brought under control by firefighters, who arrived after the 3:16 p.m. alarm within two minutes, according to Fire Chief Adam Free.

A passerby called in the alarm after seeing smoke coming from underneath the roof, Free said.

Occupants who were home at the time got out when they smelled smoke, Free said.

The fire itself caused about $10,000 damage, while smoke and water caused an additional $15,000 damage, Free estimated.

He doesn’t know the cause, he said.

The Red Cross and family members were helping the displaced individuals, Free said.

The building is insured, Free said.

A fire on Friday destroyed a trailer on Sprankle Avenue in Lakemont, but caused no injuries, as the resident wasn’t home when the fire began.

An accidental kitchen fire in a third-floor apartment on the 800 block of Sixth Avenue led to firefighters rescuing an unconscious man who was taken to UPMC Altoona, then to a hospital in Pittsburgh with life-threatening injuries. That man has recovered sufficiently to have been removed from a ventilator, said City Manager Christopher McGuire at a City Council meeting Monday.

An accidental electrical fire in the basement of a house on the 1300 block of 21st Avenue Sunday afternoon displaced the man who lived there and caused $5,000 in damage.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.