EDMONTON -- Residents of a St. Albert apartment building had to be rescued from their suites after an early morning fire on Wednesday.

"They were on balconies with fire and smoke shooting over their heads," Platoon Chief Charlie Tye told CTV News Edmonton. "Our crews went and applied a hose line over their head to hold back the fire while our crews went up to the balcony and pulled them off."

Five people were transported to hospital with unknown injuries, according to the City of St. Albert.

Flames broke out at the building on Grange Drive around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. Fire crews from Edmonton and Spruce Grove were called it to help deal with the blaze.

One resident returned to the building Wednesday afternoon, telling CTV News Edmonton that she needed to collect some items for her children, including her daughter's computer so she can continue her online school work.

The family is staying at the nearby St. Albert Inn for now.

"They told us that they didn’t know how many days," she said. "He wants to make sure that everybody is safe."

The fire reportedly damaged several suites and the roof of the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation.