An early morning blaze destroyed an East Pittsburgh duplex, leaving four residents homeless.

Firefighters from five companies in the region were called to the 500 block of Bessemer Avenue shortly before 3 a.m. today after a neighbor across the street called 911.

It took them more than an hour to get the blaze, which totaled the structure, under control. Police said the fire was started by a pot of grease left on the stove in the upstairs unit.

Rosalind Duncan, who lives next door, said her dog Kyle started barking and alerted her and the 24-year-old man that lived in the upstairs unit. The man attempted to put the fire out with an extinguisher but it spread too quickly and he suffered second-degree burns on his back, she said.

The woman he lived with and the man and woman who lived downstairs escaped without injury and a neighbor was treated for smoke inhalation.