An overnight kitchen fire forced residents of six apartments in Montreal to flee their homes.

The fire began on the main floor of a three-storey building on Cartier St. north of Sherbrooke St., in the Plateau-Mont Royal borough.

Flames and smoke spread to two of the six units in the building before firefighters arrived and were able to put out the fire.

Damage to those two apartments is extensive and the residents may not be able to return home for some time.

Nobody living in the building was hurt.

The exact cause of the fire is not known.