AUBURN — Fire investigators said a 6-year-old boy started an early-morning apartment fire at 46 Fourth St. that left 43 people homeless.

The child set his bed on fire in a fourth-floor apartment while playing with a lighter. According to investigators, he found his mother, who was in another room, and told her about the fire, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

It was expected that the child will be offered help through programs aimed at educating young fire setters.

“Obviously, we’re concerned that the child get that help,” said Auburn fire Chief Frank Roma.

The fire was reported just after 8 a.m. and brought under control by 9:30 a.m. 

“It went to a second alarm early,” Capt. Don Flanagan said.

Traffic in New Auburn was slowed as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames and get hot spots under control.

Fire Chief Frank Roma said everyone made it out of the building safely, but one firefighter was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for a possible shoulder injury.

American Red Cross spokesman John Lamb said 43 people comprising eight families were displaced. The Red Cross had reached six of the families and was helping them with food, clothing, hotel rooms and referrals, as well as teddy bears for the children, he said.

“The Red Cross,” said Roma, “is such a great organization.”

Upon arrival at the scene, fire crews blocked off the snow-covered road and began working to extinguish the flames that were visible from the fourth floor, attacking the fire from the ground and a tower unit.

“I heard the building fire alarms going off and the girl on the fourth floor said her room was on fire,” said first-floor resident Asia Allen, who had only lived in the apartment for a year. “My son went upstairs and he said it was too big to try to use a fire extinguisher.”

Allen and an unidentified neighbor said they were just talking about how fires in Auburn are relatively unheard of and how they tell their Lewiston friends to move to Auburn for safety.

“It looks really bad,” Allen said.

Roma said the fire was contained to an apartment on the top floor, which sustained heavy fire and smoke damage. Smoke and water damage in the rest of the building will be evaluated, he said. Once the building is determined to be safe, the tenants would be allowed back inside, he said.

The Auburn fire prevention officer and the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office were investigating, he said.

According to McCausland, the 6-year-old will be referred to a local juvenile fire-setter prevention program.

Lewiston and Lisbon fire crews assisted at the scene.