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16 Injured As Fire Sweeps Through Multiple Bronx Homes

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Thirteen firefighters and three others were injured Sunday afternoon, as an extra-alarm swept through multiple buildings Sunday afternoon in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx.

The fire broke out in the late afternoon at the vacant building at 2860 Valentine Ave., in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx, the FDNY reported.

The four-alarm blaze later spread to two adjoining homes at 2862 and 2866 Valentine Ave., the department told CBS 2 and 1010 WINS.

"My big son come, tell me, 'Mommy, mommy, fire – run out the back!'" one neighbor said.

The flames were so strong, firefighters had to battle them from the outside.

"Confronted by a large amount of fire, they moved in on the fire initially, and then eventually we pulled them out because the magnitude of the fire," said FDNY Assistant Chief Ronald Spadafora.

It took 180 firefighters to but the blaze out.

Thirteen firefighters and three civilians were injured in the blaze, the FDNY said. The civilians were in neighboring buildings and suffered smoke inhalation, officials said.

The victims' injuries were not considered life-threatening, officials said.

The cause of the fire was not known Sunday evening. Officials were bringing in a forensic engineer to inspect the house where the fire broke out, which was in danger of collapsing.

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