Several people were injured in the blaze that broke out in an apartment on the first floor of the four-storey building just before 7.30pm, Vaud cantonal police said.

One person was taken to the Payerne hospital and four were treated for injuries outside the building, cantonal police said.

Several pets, including a dog, two cats and two rabbits, died in the fire, police said.

Fire fighters used a ladder truck to evacuate four residents from one of the building’s 15 apartments.

The town’s civil protection service looked after evacuated residents, some of whom were housed with relatives.

Two apartments sustained significant damage and will not be usable for some time, police indicated.

The tenants will be either rehoused by the municipality or by relatives, police added.

Around 50 emergency response officials responded to the fire, including 22 fire fighters with seven vehicles.