GREENFIELD — A two-family residence at 20 Elm St. caught fire Wednesday afternoon, resulting in extensive damage to the rear exterior but no injuries to residents.

Fire Chief Robert Strahan said when firefighters from Greenfield, Turner Falls, Deerfield and Northfield arrived at approximately 2 p.m., they saw an extensive fire on the rear exterior porch extending into the building. Strahan said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Second-floor resident Kayla Boyer said she was in her room with her toddler, Ezra, when the fire started. Although she said she smelled “something funny,” she could not hear the alarm and only realized there was a fire when a Berkshire Gas employee got her attention outside her window.

“I see this guy running back and forth with this look on his face, and I started getting nervous. I just grabbed my son and he tried to go out that door,” Boyer recounted, pointing to the door closest to the back porch. “The smoke was all black and so thick that we would have never been able to exit through that door, I was choking.”

Firefighters promptly quelled the fire, and as of 2:45 p.m., were assessing the house’s interior damage to determine if the building was safe for tenants to stay in. A cat named Jack was also rescued from the residence.

Boyer said the property housed six tenants — three living on the first floor and another three housed on the second floor. She said she did not have renter’s insurance.

“I was supposed to get it and I was going to get it, but I didn’t,” Boyer said. “Now I’m regretting it.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.