An apartment complex fire late Saturday night on Stonegate Drive in Columbus left 28 people homeless.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 11:30 p.m. Saturday and found a two-story apartment building with heavy smoke and fire on its south side, says Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the Columbus Fire Department. Residents were alerted by smoke alarms and were evacuating the building’s 12 apartments when firefighters arrived.

Firefighters entered the building to attack the fire, but were driven out by the intense flames and smoke, Wilson says. They retreated to the outside and the flames entered the attic and spread throughout the roof line. The roof caught fire, burning through and collapsing, Wilson said.  Firefighters used an aerial truck and “deluge gun” to eventually gain control of the blaze, Wilson says.

Wilson says the Red Cross were called to the scene to aid the displaced residents. The cause of the fire is under investigation and no damage estimates are yet available.

Firefighters finally left the scene at about 9 a.m. Sunday. They were assisted at the scene by Columbus police,  Columbus Regional Health paramedics, Salvation Army and the American Red Cross. East Columbus Township Fire and Rescue and Harrison Township volunteers were on standby for the city while city firefighters fought the blaze.