Firefighters in Jersey City, N.J., battled a 4-alarm fire that engulfed two apartment homes early Thursday.
The fire broke out in one dwelling around 4 a.m. in the 200 block of Bayview Avenue and spread to an adjacent structure. Billowing smoke could be seen miles away on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Fire officials said three firefighters suffered minor back and head injuries when they slipped on ice that formed in the cold after they sprayed the house with water.
Officials said they believe 18 people, including children, lived in the homes that were destroyed by the fire. They all got out OK. The Red Cross is assisting those displaced by the blaze.
One resident told NBC 4 New York the smoke was so thick it made him choke. Another neighbor said she'd never seen flames that intense before.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Officials said they believe 18 people, including children, lived in the homes that were destroyed by the fire. They all got out OK. The Red Cross is assisting those displaced by the blaze.
One resident told NBC 4 New York the smoke was so thick it made him choke. Another neighbor said she'd never seen flames that intense before.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
