A person is in police custody after a blaze tore through Dauphin's Towers Hotel Thursday.

Officials say 25 residents of the hotel have been moved to the Dauphin Friendship Centre Inc. following the fire.

A cat also managed to escape the building as it collapsed while crews battled the inferno.

RCMP confirmed one male is in custody while the investigation continues.

Police said the building is considered a total loss.

Officers said the fire was reported around 3 a.m. on Sept. 18 at the Towers Hotel.

When crews arrived, they searched and confirmed everyone was out of the building.

Crews tried to fight the fire from the inside but heat and smoke forced them to leave the building and work to control the flames from the outside.

A track hoe was brought in to knock down a portion of the hotel to protect the other buildings nearby.

The Friendship Centre said some people have gone to stay at family homes.

The Friendship Centre staff were trying to take care of all the displaced tenants' needs by arranging for cots, food for pets, and phamacists to replace prescriptions lost in the fire. CTV is told the community has been generous in dropping off clothing, shoes, and blankets.

The cat that escaped the collapsing building appears to be doing OK. It escaped the blaze largely unscathed, but did suffer some smoke inhalation.

The cat, named Sylvester, spent Thursday night at the Dauphin vet clinic for observation before being reunited with its owner Friday.