SKOWHEGAN -- Two families spent the earliest part of the new year watching their home go up in flames after a fire in an attic destroyed a two-story apartment building.

No one was injured.

The apartment building, located near the intersection of Court and Lawton streets, apparently ignited sometime around midnight.

Firefighters received a call for help around 12:50 a.m. and arrived minutes later to find smoke billowing from the eaves and two- and three-foot flames shooting from the roof, Skowhegan Fire Department Capt. Rick Caldwell said.

"It moved quite rapidly," he said.