New York firefighters battled a massive blaze that destroyed the residences of nearly two dozen people Sunday.
Hornell crews responded to the blaze, which broke out at about 2:30 p.m., Spectrum News reports. Flames burned through seven apartment homes and displaced 21 people, including 13 adults and eight children.
It took firefighters a few hours to get the blaze under control, and they knocked on doors to make sure no one remained inside the burning buildings. No injuries were reported from the the scene.
The close proximity of the buildings, as well as wind gusts from the waterfront, created difficulties as crews tried to put out the flames.
"Three of these houses were arms-length apart. I mean, you could reach out the window and touch the adjacent," Hornell Fire Chief Frank Brzozowski told Spectrum News. "So you've got that radiant heat, plus the wind taking the currents over, so it was quite a challenge right off the bat. Between so many structures and such a volume and intense fire, to sift through it. It's going to take some to get through it."
Displaced residents are being helped by the Red Cross, which is using Hornell High School as a temporary facility.
