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Two people have hospitalized and one cat is receiving veterinary care following a three-alarm fire at an east Medford apartment complex. Two third-floor apartment occupants were rescued by ladder truck Friday afternoon and one cat was rescued with the aid of firefighters and police, after fire broke on the third floor of a Valley Pines apartment building at 649 Royal Ave. , according to Medford Fire-Rescue battalion chief Erin Sawall, who served as the incident commander. While two people living in the third-floor apartment unit were rushed to a nearby hospital to be checked for possible smoke inhalation injuries, a Medford police community service officer transported one rescued cat to a nearby emergency veterinarian, according to Sawall. "As far as I know, the cat's still alive," Sawall said, adding that a second cat found in the apartment building was found safe. No other injuries to people or pets were reported. The fire, first reported at 2:08 p.m. Friday, briefly reached three-alarm status, drawing eight engines among other emergency vehicles from Medford Fire-Rescue, Jackson County Fire District No. 3, Jacksonville Fire and Medford police to the scene. By 2:30 p.m., the fire had been largely knocked down. "A good team effort by all parties," Sawall said. "We were quite lucky." First responders initially called Jackson County Animal Control to the scene, but called them off after locating the two cats, according to Sawall. The fire apparently started on the top floor and spread to the second floor, according to Sawall. The fire's cause is not yet known. Medford Fire-Rescue Chief Brian Fish said at the scene that the fire investigation can only begin once a fire is entirely extinguished. As of just after 3 p.m. Friday, crews continued to battle occasional flare-ups on the second-story balcony. A tenant of the apartment complex said the patio areas between the second and third floors were "engulfed in flames." First on scene within minutes of the call was Medford fire with the ladder truck and Fire District 3, according to Sawall. The ladder crew rescued the two occupants while other firefighters evacuated the fire floor and initiated the fire attack. Royal Avenue was closed while crews mopped up but reopened just after 3:15 p.m. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.