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NEW YORK – A devastating fire in Mount Vernon left more than 100 residents without homes just days before Thanksgiving, after flames tore through a seven-story apartment building overnight.<\/p>\n
What we know:<\/p>\n
Authorities said the Mount Vernon Fire Department received reports of smoke around 2:39 a.m. Sunday from a residential building on Cottage Avenue. Crews arrived within five minutes to find heavy smoke pouring from the seventh floor, officials said.<\/p>\n
The fire quickly escalated, reaching five alarms as neighboring departments responded to assist. Firefighters rescued two women using ground ladders \u2014 both were taken to Jacobi Medical Center and are expected to recover.<\/p>\n
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Officials said five Mount Vernon firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze.<\/p>\n
Residents described a frantic effort to escape in the middle of the night as smoke filled the hallways. One woman told FOX 5 that a neighbor ran door to door, banging on doors to wake people up and help them get out.<\/p>\n
Another man said his mother lived inside the building and wasn\u2019t answering her phone when he arrived.<\/p>\n
“My mom wasn\u2019t answering the phone when I got there \u2014 I was worried she didn\u2019t make it,” he said.<\/p>\n
Community members have already begun stepping up to help families who lost everything. Dozens of displaced residents are now waiting to learn what\u2019s next as city officials coordinate emergency housing and relief efforts.<\/p>\n
The Source: This article is based on information from the Mount Vernon Fire Department, interviews with displaced residents, and on-scene reporting by FOX 5 NY.<\/p>\n