A fire in a room of a two-story apartment building on Saturday caused extensive damage and saw eight people being taken to Larnaca general hospital with respiratory problems from smoke inhalation.

In a post on X, fire brigade spokesman Andreas Kettis said Larnaca fire stations responded with two fire engines.

Kettis said the occupants of the apartment, including three family members with a small child, evacuated as soon as they noticed the fire.

“The fire caused extensive damage to the apartment and to the other apartments on the upper floors due to the transfer of smoke and hot gases through the staircase,” Kettis added.

Firefighters led all eight residents down the staircase to a ground-floor open area.

Two ambulances transported the group, including the two small children, to hospital with smoke inhalation issues.

The fire “at first glance was caused by an electrical problem in a light fixture,” Kettis said, adding that “the opinions of the electromechanical services are awaited.”

Larnaca police also came to the scene.