A fish dinner left cooking while a quick trip was made to pick up the man of the house resulted in apparently the worst residential fire ever in Temple.

No one was hurt in the three-alarm fire at Madison Square Apartments, 1918 S. 31st St., that started about 5 p.m. Tuesday, said Mark Smith, Temple fire marshal.

The 28-unit, two-story apartment building, known for years as Bell Crest Apartments, was a total loss. Smith said 26 of the units were occupied and 45 people were displaced by the fire.

Six fire engines and two ladder trucks