One firefighter suffered burns and four others sustained minor injuries while battling an early morning blaze on Friday in Southeast Baltimore, according to fire officials. They were taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, with one firefighter being treated for first-degree burns to the face and a possible broken arm.

The fire began about 6 a.m. in the unit block of N. East Ave., in the Baltimore-Linwood neighborhood. The two-story brick rowhouse was unoccupied at the time, according to a fire department spokesman, but neighbors say a family lives there.

Kevin Cartwright, the fire department spokesman, said the fire is believed to have started in the basement and extended rapidly to the first floor. It was contained to that one building, and investigators had not determined a cause.

Bernadine Ruffin, who lives two doors down from the charred house, said she was awakened by her cousin, who came up to her room and said they should evacuate. "Our house got really smoky. When I came outside, I saw a whole bunch of black smoke, then heard a boom," she said. "Then we saw the fireman laying on the ground."

Ruffin said she believes the family living in the burned house is staying with friends.

The city fire department has had to close fire stations daily on a rotating basis to save money, but fire officials say they arrived at the scene within minutes of the call. City and union officials have said the department may be forced to lay off 125 firefighters and close a dozen companies this summer if poor budget projections come to fruition.