MANCHESTER -- About a dozen people are temporarily without a home after a small electrical fire damaged wiring in a Merrimack Street apartment building Monday night.

District Fire Chief Mark Pelletier said a maintenance man smelled smoke at the 383 Merrimack St. building and called 911 just before 7 p.m.

The fire was in basement wiring running underneath a first floor joist, he said. Firefighters used a chain saw to cut out a section of the beam because of fire damage.

Pelletier said about 12 tenants reside at the six-unit apartment building (one apartment is vacant) and all had to find alternate housing because power was cut to the building.

They will not be able to return until an electrician is brought in and repairs are made, according to Pelletier. He estimated damage at $3,000.