Smoking led to a fire at a Rockville Centre senior complex, forcing the elderly out of their homes Sunday.

Fire officials say the blaze started in a woman's first-floor apartment at the Halandia Court complex. They believe it was the result of carelessness.

"The information we have is that she had been smoking and dumped an ashtray into the wastepaper basket and fell asleep," said Nassau Fire Marshal Vincent McManus. "So the fire begins next to her and consumes the chair and ignites the rest of the apartment."

Police helped the victim, whose face was blackened by smoke, out of the apartment. They also evacuated other tenants, who were awakened by the sound of blaring fire alarms and the smell of smoke.

Five people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Three police officers were treated for smoke inhalation.

Most of the tenants were allowed back into their apartments within a couple of hours.