A five-alarm fire at an auto body shop on Bronx River Avenue off East Tremont Avenue in the Van Nest neighborhood spread to two nearby private residences Saturday, displacing more than a dozen residents, officials said.

Four firefighters sustained minor injuries while battling the blaze. No civilian injuries or deaths were reported.

The first call came in at 11:23 a.m., and FDNY units arrived on the scene just three minutes and 44 seconds later.

What You Need To Know

A five-alarm fire broke out Saturday at an auto body shop on Bronx River Avenue, spreading to two nearby homes in the Van Nest neighborhood

Four firefighters sustained minor injuries, and about 16 residents were displaced from six apartments

Witnesses described thick black smoke and chaos as neighbors helped each other escape the flames

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by FDNY fire marshals

“When our units arrived, we had heavy fire throughout this auto body repair shop, motor vehicle repair shop. We attempted to enter the building and extinguish the fire,” the FDNY’s chief of department said. “We did have a collapse of the building, one of the walls to the rear.”

According to the FDNY, about 16 people were displaced from six different apartments.

Fantasia Rivera said she was having an ordinary morning until she smelled smoke.

“It was a lot, it was black, I have asthma,” she told NY1. “You couldn’t breathe, you couldn’t breathe.”

After ensuring her kids and spouse were safe, Rivera helped her neighbors evacuate.

“I had to sit here and tell my neighbors in my community, let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go. I’m screaming, ‘help me!’ Screaming. That got all my neighbors to all come out here and help one another,” Rivera said.

Another resident, Jacy Hudson, said she lost everything in the fire.

“I’m devastated. I don’t know, I don’t know, I just got stuff to work good for me and it’s all over, it’s all over, it’s all over. I know I’m alive but damn I’m tired of struggling, I’m tired of going through catastrophes,” she said. “I’m homeless. I’ve been homeless most of my life, bro. And I thought I had it but I don’t. So that’s it.”

Despite the devastation, Hudson said she’s trying to stay hopeful.

“I see a rainbow. I see a rainbow right there so that must mean my luck is going to change,” she said.

The Red Cross was on the scene helping residents find temporary housing.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire marshals.