OCALA-

Several residents are out of their homes after a fire breaks out at the Paddock Park Apartments.

"At first it started as a little bit of smoke and then we went to the back side by the lake over there and it was just bursting into flames. The chimney started falling and everything," said Jon Singletery.

Around 11 a.m. on  Thursday, Singletery and his friend Sky Stone were hanging out by the lake when they saw smoke.

"We ran over here quick and we tried to knock on the doors to see if anyone was inside," said Stone.

"I was screaming everybody get out there's a fire, there's a fire. I was banging trying to get everybody out," said Singletery.

That bang woke up the woman who lived in the downstairs apartment.

"I heard banging, but it wasn't on my door. I thought it was on my door. I went outside and I opened the door and I saw a guy standing outside saying everybody evacuate the building there is a fire," said Tionna Council.

Council ran back inside to rescue her roommate and cousin.

"Before you knew it the whole building was on fire," Msaid Council.

Ocala and Marion County Firefighters entered the building to make sure no one was inside.
More than 25 firefighters battled the blaze for several hours.
Assistant Fire Chief Brian Stoothoff said it appears the fire started in the upstairs apartment.

Dwight Henry who lives upstairs, said his roomate woke up after hearing some banging.
That's when he saw  flames coming from a storage closet on their patio.
Henry said he told his roommate to use a fire extinguisher, but the fire was raging, so his roommate ran out.
Both men were very emotional and did not want to speak on camera.

Out of the 16 units in the building, two apartments were destroyed and two others were heavily damaged. Leaving some residents with nothing.

"My stuff, my home, where I live, no renters insurance so everything I got is gone now," said Council.

Everyone got out safe and there were no injuries.
Stoothoff said an electrical issue caused the fire and it most likely started in that outdoor storage closet.
Ocala Fire Rescue will work with managers of the Paddock Park Apartments to make sure the residents have housing for the night.