An apartment building fire displaced 12 people on Chicago's Near Northwest Side on Monday night.

Police said five children were among the 12 people who escaped the fire that broke out at a two-story building at 1715 N. Artesian Ave., just after 10 p.m.

Fire Department officials said the fire spread to two neighboring buildings. No one was injured.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. Neighbors told CBS News Chicago they woke up to a loud blast. 

"I was sleeping and we heard a boom, an explosion, next door, two houses down, and we came up. Everything was going down in flames, and we saw everything, and we saw people running back to the alley," Salvador Irizarry said. 

The Red Cross is assisting the 12 people who were left temporarily homeless.