Hartford, CT -- Firefighters are still on the scene battling a blaze in Hartford.
Fire tore through the 4 story building earlier today and dozens are without a home tonight.
Firefighters are still battling some hot spots and they are concerned about the building collapsing.
That huge fire broke out in a business on Park Street this afternoon.
The blaze could be seen from miles around. Three people got trapped in the apartments above.
Those tenants might not have made it out if it weren't for some fast-acting firefighters.
Leonardo Santiago can't fight human nature as firefighters fight flames. He must watch, as well as others with him, a scene that will be forever be burned into their minds.
"They were shooting out. It was awesome man, an awesome fire," says Santiago.
There was destruction - chaos.
The plumes of smoke were so large it eclipsed the sun, but in the midst of this fiery rage at the corner of Park and Wadsworth, a brighter side of human nature emerges - heroics.
"I see a man hanging out the window." "And these firefighters on the ladder, they saved his life man." "Hartford fire department did a good job coming in and rescuing the man." "They would have been five minutes later, he would have dropped."
Firefighters rescued two others from the two alarm inferno that is believed to have started in the basement and raced up to the fourth floor.
"I don't know how else to tell you this, I see members of the Hartford Fire Department do this all the time," says Chief Charles A. Teale, Hartford Fire Dept.
"They saved his life man, very brave guys."
The official cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials tell News Channel 8 the fire spread because of the buildings balloon construction, meaning there were no firestops.
