Between 12 and 16 people are homeless after an early-morning fire sent flames tearing through a multi-unit building in Ottawa's Chinatown area.

The flames broke out around 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning on Booth St. between Somerset St. W. and Albert St.

One firefighter sustained minor injuries fighting the blaze. There are no reports of injuries to any of the residents.

Sam Taylor lives in one of the building's top floor units with her partner and three young children.

"I was scared that we were going to get stuck and trapped in smoke, and I was worried about my children," she said. "Within a couple of minutes, there were flames from the main level of the building, actually reaching the roof of the building."

Taylor covered her childrens' heads in blankets to protect them from the smoke, and ran outside with them and her partner.

Taylor was able to salvage a few items, including a stroller and some children's clothing.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army were on scene to help residents who are now displaced.

The fire caused $300,000 in damage to the building, and $100,000 in damage to contents.

Fire investigators suspect the flames started in the basement, but it is still too soon to be sure.

"It looks like the main floor has been burnt through in the front right corner of the building that faces Booth," said Hans Schirmer, a fire investigator with the Ottawa Fire Services.  "That leads me to believe the initial fire started in the basement and came through, I’ll be able to tell more once I actually do some more investigating," he added.

This is the second fire in the area in a week.

Last Sunday, flames ripped through a two-storey rooming house on Lebreton St. near Somerset St. West.

No one was hurt.

Fire investigators are working to determine what caused the fire on Booth st.

Residents are relieved everyone made it out safely.

"I had one of the officials tell me it’s lucky  I was awake when I notice the smoke, said Taylor, "because if I was asleep, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it until (the apartment) was already full of smoke, and we might not have been as lucky as we were."

With files from CTV's Claudia Cautillo