Fire crews spent part of Sunday morning on the scene of a fire which started on the balcony of a historic west-end apartment building.

Several people called 911 at about 9 a.m., with reports of a fire on a balcony of the Derwas Court Apartments on 101 Avenue and 121 Street.

By the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had spread to nearby trees and the balcony above.

"Some trees were involved when we arrived," Captain Mike Tessier said after the flames were out. "If we didn't get on it [really] quick, it could have spread next door."

Terence Lawrence was awakened by alarms Sunday morning, after the fire broke out on his neighbour's balcony.

"I looked out [from] my patio," Lawrence said. "I [saw] the flames coming from the patio right beside [mine]."

He watched as the flames spread to the balcony on the floor above, and engulfed a propane barbecue.

"I looked up and their barbecue blew up,"

"It made a really big hissing sound from the propane tank and flames just came towards my balcony."

While Lawrence and all of the other residents of the 1914-era apartment building managed to escape safely, he's commending the quick work of the firefighters.

"The flames were really big, and they got them out quickly."

Tessier said the second floor suite withstood fire and smoke damage, and the suite above sustained smoke damage in the fire.

The damage estimate is unknown, and investigators are on the scene trying to uncover what caused the blaze.

No injuries were reported.