A giant fast-moving fire consumed part of a building containing stores and businesses in a busy section of Yonkers Thursday and forced at least 100 nearby residents out of their homes on a chilly December evening, officials say.
Heavy smoke quickly erupted into a four-alarm blaze inside a two-story commercial building at 371 S. Broadway about 4 p.m., fire officials say.
Though the cause of the fire is unknown, officials say flammable materials inside a Dollar K store in the building helped ignite the blaze and caused it to spread quickly.
Next door, residents poured out of an apartment building as the flames shot through the roof and windows of the commercial building.
"When I look, I just see it started. I tried to pick up my kids, papers, documents, everything. I run out," said Sarah Rodriguez, one of the residents ordered to leave their building.
Firefighters successfully contained the blaze to the commercial building, but dozens of people were not allowed back into their homes.
The Red Cross assisted 100 people displaced by fire, 21 of whom stayed at an emergency shelter set up at a nearby school.
Local
We'll make sure that everybody's warm, safe, stress-free, "said Carolyn Sherwin of the Red Cross. Luckily, the fire's been contained. So far it's just water and smoke in the residential building."
A few firefighters suffered minor injuries, according to officials.
