Apartment Fire Sends Residents to the Hospital.

An apartment complex just north of downtown Fort Wayne caught fire early this morning sending several residents to the hospital and killing two pets.

The fire started in the basement of the Riverview terrace apartments, next to Tonya Harris's unit.  She wasn't injured but her pets suffered severe smoke inhalation.  

"One of my cats is pretty much dying because of everything going on," said Harris.

Harris is desperate to save her cats after seeing them gasping for air during the fire.  

I'm pretty much going to have to go to the shelter and see if we can keep them alive," said Harris. 

The fire forced 50 people to evacuate sending four residents to the hospital for smoke inhalation.   Harris says she doesn't know where to turn next. 

"I feel like crying and breaking down because it's so sad a lot of people lost a lot of stuff," said Harris. 

Although the official cause of the fire is still under investigation residents have their ideas on how the blaze got underway.  They believe that a squatter living in the basement may have started the fire. 

"He's homeless and he was sleeping in the basement and lit a cigarette and lit everything else on fire," said Harris.    

Harris says she doesn't feel safe living in the apartment complex if the rumor of how the fire started is true.  

I'm going to be moving I have no choice I can't stay here," said Harris. 

The residents were taken to the hospital in fair condition, and a total of two pets died.