TIVERTON — Everybody inside made it out safely when fire raced through a Chace Avenue house late Thursday afternoon, but a pet ferret died and firefighters from several towns were exhausted by the heat and humidity.

Fire Chief Robert Lloyd said the department was alerted to the blaze at 216 Chace Avenue shortly before 4 p.m.

The first crews to arrive saw heavy fire and smoke pouring from a second floor apartment of the multi-family dwelling.

Firefighters from Tiverton, Westport, Portsmouth, Swansea and Fall River managed to control the fire within 35 minutes but by then the damage was sufficient to displace the four residents.

The only person home at the time, Dawn Case, made it out of her second floor dwelling just in time. Her son and family lived on the first floor but were not home at the time. The third floor was unoccupied.

Ms. Case lost most of her belongings in the fire, items that reportedly included her late husband’s ashes which she had tried to rescue before being forced out by the fire.

The blaze is believed to have started on the second floor and while its cause is unknown, it is believed to have been accidental.

None of the firefighters were hurt, but special care had to be taken to relieve crews and keep them hydrated on the very warm (temperatures in the 80s) and humid afternoon.