KITCHENER -- Several residents have been displaced from their home, one person has been taken to hospital, and three animals have died following a fire in Cambridge.

Firefighters were called to the six-plex structure in Blaire Village around 8 a.m. on Sunday and found a working fire in one of the upper units, according to officials.

Jayne and Wayne Leger lost their home in the fire.

"You never realize how bad it could be and then, to see things you've had your whole life or memories, just be gone and there's nothing you can do," Jayne said.

They were woken by the smoke.

"We just grabbed our clothes, the dog and got out," Jayne said. "We didn't expect that the fire would get this bad."

"I saw smoke from west Galt where I just drove from," said Cambridge resident Mark Montague. "A friend of mine owns another business in Preston so I was a little nervous about that."

Brad Churchill, the deputy fire chief with the Cambridge Fire Department, says they were dealing with some difficulties as the flames quickly spread into the attic.

"We’ve been battling the age of the structure and it’s difficult for us to get fire tech into some areas like the attic in an old building," he said. "Also the cold temperatures with flowing water and hose lines, we’ve had some difficulty with that as well."

The residence has stood for more than 150 years before being converted into apartments for six families.

Officials say one person was taken to Cambridge Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation, and while they were able to save multiple animals as well, three cats died in the fire.

"It  appears to be that everybody was home and everybody has been evacuated prior to our arrival," said Churchill.

Regional police and social services have been able to help families find accommodations.

Grand River Transit was called in to provide temporary shelter in buses for patients and victims.

All residents were able to escape the fire. One person was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

"Most important thing is everybody got out," Jayne said. "You can't put a value on human life."

The Red Cross is helping the families impacted by the fire. They're all staying in a hotel.

"From there, we're not sure where we're going to go," Jayne said.

While there is no initial report on what caused the fire, inspectors are on scene looking into the origin and circumstances.

The Ontario Fire Marshal is assisting with the investigation.

"It originally was in apartment one was the initial fire call that Cambridge fire was dispatched to," said Michael Bird, a fire investigator. "Once they had that fire out, they noticed it had travelled through the walls up to the second floor, and into the roof."

The building is still standing as of Sunday night, but officials believe it may not be salvageable due to heavy smoke and water damage.

Fire crews estimate the damage will be at least $800,000.

Demolition crews arrived in the evening to tear off the roof in order for fire crews to continue to put out hot spots.

The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Cambridge branch says the building, which was built in 1861, has gone through several changes since its inception.

Roger Will had bought the building in 1986, renovated it in 1989, and sold it four years ago.

"As soon as they said it was blue clad with a blue roof and multi-unit, I knew right away there is only one building like that in Blair," he said. "It was in rough shape and we refurbished it.

"It's sad knowing the history and all the work that we put into it."

Fire officials say that because of the blue framing, fire travelled easily between the cavities of the floor and roof.

They add that the building is being considered a complete loss and will need to be torn down.

The Kitchener Fire Department and North Dumfries Fire Department have been assisting with their water supply.

Blair Road and Fountain Street South from around Conestoga College to Preston have been closed as crews worked into the evening and the following morning to put out the hot spots.

Fire officials say they expect to make a decision on whether or not to open up the closed off areas by 8 a.m. Monday morning.

With reporting from CTV Kitchener's Zayn Jinah and Stephanie Villella