Three people have been taken to hospital after an apartment fire in Gatineau.

Firefighters responded just before 4:30 a.m. Thursday to 50 Rue Robinson, near the intersection of Maloney Boulevard and Rue Bellehumeur.

Flames were seen shooting from the windows of the apartment building when firefighters arrived.

Soon after, they began attacking the fire and used ladders to help rescue tenants from upstairs apartments, including Bruno Grenon, who said he woke up to smoke in his apartment.

Bruno Grenon at Gatineau fire

Bruno Grenon, who lived at 50 Rue Robinson, says he woke up his two roommates before trying to escape the fire at his apartment building. (CBC)

"I checked to see where it was coming from, I noticed it was coming from the apartment below," Grenon said.

"I woke up my two roommates and I tried opening the door to the apartment, but I noticed there was too much smoke for me to get out. So I blocked the door and I started banging like crazy on the window, yelling that we were stuck up there."

Three people were taken to hospital with unknown injuries and the Canadian Red Cross is on site helping other tenants. More than 20 people live in the building, residents said.

The fire was knocked down just after 6 a.m. and all roads have since been reopened to traffic.