SIDNEY, Ohio — The heroic actions of bystanders helped save a woman from her burning apartment on Tuesday night in Sidney. The woman was trapped on the balcony of her third-floor unit, but a man climbed up to the balcony of the apartment below and helped her and her pet cat down to safety before firefighters arrived on the scene.

The fire broke out about 9:45 p.m. at the Carriage Hill Condominiums & Apartments at 2360 Wapakoneta Avenue. When first responders arrived, heavy fire and smoke were coming from an end unit of the three-story, multi-unit building.

A box alarm was called, requesting mutual aid firefighters from Anna, Lockington, and Piqua. All off-duty Sidney firefighters were also recalled.

Crews made an interior attack, quickly knocking down the bulk of the fire — containing it to the origin apartment, preventing it from spreading throughout the rest of the building. However, fire officials stated one neighboring unit sustained some fire damage, and units below the fire apartment likely sustained water and smoke damage. The building does not have a sprinkler system.

The woman who was rescued was the only occupant of the unit where the fire started. She was evaluated at the scene by paramedics, but declined transport to the hospital. No other injuries were reported.

The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the woman and any other residents, if needed. Electricity was maintained to neighboring units, but fire investigators were unsure if more than one apartment was uninhabitable.

Crews remained on the scene for about three hours. The cause of the fire, and a dollar loss estimate, had not been determined as of late Tuesday night. The Sidney Fire Department is handling the investigation.