A fire at a multi-unit housing complex in the Harvard Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles forced residents to flee the burning building Friday morning.

The fire was reported about 12:40 a.m. at a one-story fourplex in the 1700 block of West Gage Avenue, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated in a news alert.

Vicente, who lives in the building, said he was alerted to the fire when he heard neighbors knocking on his doors and windows.

He said his family escaped with him by going out their back door.

“We were all together and I remember we have a 6-month-old puppy,” Vicente said.

He ran back inside the house, which he said was full of smoke, and grabbed the puppy.

“I just couldn’t leave the dog in there … to me that’s like a baby,” Vicente said.

Firefighters put out the blaze in about 20 minutes and contained the flames to two of the four units, Fire Department spokesperson Brian Humphrey stated.

No injuries were reported in the fire. The cause was under investigation.

Red Cross personnel were sent to the scene to assist families that were displaced.