Five people were displaced by a duplex fire Wednesday afternoon, according to the Waterville Fire Department.

Captain John Gromek said no one was home at the time of the fire on Silver Street. The first floor tenant was at work and the second floor tenants were in Portland taking their eight-month-old child to a doctor’s appointment.

A firefighter, who suffered first degree burns on his knees, declined medical treatment, Gromek said.

It took firefighters only about 15 minutes to knock down the flames and most of the damage was contained to a second floor bedroom, but other parts of the building suffered light damage as well.

The state fire marshal's is investigating the cause of the blaze.

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