It took dozens of firefighters hours to knock down a quick-moving fire in a Mount Vernon building that is kept several families out of their homes for hours.
Nearly 50 firefighters were called to fight three-alarm blaze at 16 North Bond St. Friday evening, according to fire officials.
It's not clear what caused the fire or where it started in the three-story building, but once it reached the cockloft, it became "very labor-intensive" for firefighters, said Mount Vernon Fire Chief Edward Stevenson.
"Once the fire gets there, it gets a lot of open space and just starts running," he said.
The building and one next door were evacuated as firefighters responded. Heavy manpower was needed to contain the flames in the original building before they spread, according to Stevenson.
One apartment was damaged in the fire, and two residents who lived in the burning building were displaced, he said. They were staying with friends Friday.
Residents in the building next door were allowed to return home.
Local
-- Checkey Beckford contributed to this report.
