250 displaced in New York apartment building fire

The building fire that tore through a Mount Vernon apartment complex has left all 250 residents displaced, authorities said Sunday.

A building fire that tore through a Mount Vernon, New York, apartment complex has left all 250 residents displaced, authorities with the city’s Office of Emergency Management announced late Sunday.

Authorities say 150 people are in immediate need of shelter, with 75 to 100 others believed to be traveling.

Flames shot of out of the top floors of the large building at 30 Cottage Ave. ““I got my family out, I ran upstairs, told my parents (who) live a floor above me,” said resident Erick Espinal. “We stayed in the building for at least 10-15 minutes, just telling everybody, “Fire! Fire! Get out! Knocking on doors.”

Firefighters responded to a massive blaze at 30 Cottage Avenue, prompting a 5th-alarm response and mutual aid from surrounding Westchester municipalities. Lokman Vural Elibol / Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe fire started in a top floor kitchen, according to the Mount Vernon Fire Department. The flames got out of control and spread to the cockloft, the space between the ceiling and the roof. The entire building of more than 100 units had to be evacuated.

“They found heavy fire coming out of the 7th floor on (the) Cottage Ave. side,” said Chief of Operations Juan Peralta. “There was also two victims at the window where they needed rescue. They put the aerial up and they have a mother and daughter -- they took ‘em out by the ladder through the window.”