“I was asleep in my living room when I was awakened by what sounded like crackling,” Laurie Saunders said.

“When I looked out, all I saw was fire in the corner of my balcony,” said Saunders, who has lived in the nine-story highrise for six years.

“I just called 911, grabbed my purse and got out,” she added.

Saunders pounded on some doors on the floor and then safely descended a stairwell with a group of other tenants.

A fire that broke out on a seventh-floor apartment balcony at the William Hepburn Apartments in Williamsport was brought under control in about 20 minutes. PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

Williamsport firefighters said the seventh and eighth floors were evacuated while all tenants on the ninth floor and below the seventh floor were told to shelter in place (stay in their units).

Upon arriving on the scene, firefighters began to attack the fire. A second alarm was ordered within minutes due to the potential of the fire spreading to other apartments as well as the high number of people in the building at the time.

However, the fire was knocked down by 5:55 p.m.

The evacuees, a few in wheelchairs or using walkers, gathered at the back of the building and shared their thoughts with one another as light smoke poured from Saunders’ balcony. It was sunny and breezy with the temperature in the lower 70s.

Exhaust fans were used to clear smoke from the structure.

One tenant was displaced Wednesday as a result of a fire that broke out on the balcony of her seventh-floor apartment at the William Hepburn Apartments in Williamsport. PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

Saunders’ apartment sustained some fire, smoke and water damage, but there actually was very little fire extension into the unit itself, investigators said.

She is the only tenant displaced by the fire. She is staying with family. All evacuated tenants were allowed to return to their apartments by 6:50 p.m

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

One tenant, suffering a medical emergency not related to the fire, was taken by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport, officials said.

Exhaust fans were used to clear smoke from the William Hepburn Apartments at 400 Lycoming St., where a fire broke out on a balcony about 5:40 p.m. Wednesday. PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette