A fire believed to be electrical in origin caused major damage to a small, two-unit apartment building last Thursday morning in the 5500 block of George Washington Memorial Highway, Gloucester.

Members of Gloucester and Abingdon fire and rescue responded to the fire in the building adjacent to the old Page Middle School site, with the fire resulting in Route 17 having to be closed off for a short while.

Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad chief J.D. Clements said the fire is believed to have started behind a dryer in a junction box, then traveled up the wall and into the attic.

The fire resulted in significant damage to both apartment units. Everyone in the apartments made it out safely with no injuries. The roof structure was heavily damaged. There was water and smoke damage to the first apartment and there was smoke damage and minor water damage to the second.

GVFR received the call at 9:25 a.m. and arrived on scene 10 minutes later. Members of AVFR arrived on the scene within two minutes of GVFR. The firefighters stayed on scene until shortly before noon.

Clements said that when firefighters arrived, one person from the Gloucester Sheriff’s Office was already on the scene assisting people out of the apartments.

The firefighters used approximately 3,500 gallons of water to put out the flames. GVFR had three engines with about 11 personnel and AVFR had one engine with about four personnel. There also were two medics who arrived on the scene.

Jane Wenner and Hannah Bonar from Gloucester Department of Emergency Management, as well as the American Red Cross, also arrived on the scene and helped provide assistance to the residents of the apartments.