NORTH HUDSON – Two engine companies and one ladder company from North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue (NHRFR) rushed to assist in fighting a multi-alarm blaze that consumed much of the 400-unit Avalon at Edgewater apartment complex last night.
No major injuries or loss of life were reported. About 175 units were destroyed and between 350 and 400 people were displaced, according to CBS News. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
The fire broke out about 4:20 p.m. and spread throughout the four-story, $75 million complex. By that night, embers rose to 500 feet and the fire could be seen from Manhattan. Firefighters from numerous towns collaborated to battle the blaze, including fire boats from New York and Jersey City.
NHRFR dispatched about a dozen firefighters, along with a safety officer and a battalion chief at about 5 p.m. “When we got there the department was looking to go to a defensive operation,” said NHRFR Department Chief Frank Montagne. “When it gets too large you have to pull back and try to prevent the fire from spreading.”
Firefighters from the department were on site until about 4 a.m. “We rotated our personnel every three to four hours,” he said.
A state of local emergency was declared for the municipality according to Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland. Local schools are closed today and roads access will be restricted until further notice.
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