4-Alarm Blaze In Jersey City Displaces 22 People

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Firefighters were battling a four-alarm blaze at an apartment building in Downtown Jersey City on Wednesday night.

Jersey City Fire Chief Darren Rivers said the blaze that has severely damaged two Grove Street buildings was reported around 1:35 p.m. Wednesday and will likely continue to burn throughout the evening. Both buildings are four-stories tall, with businesses on the ground floor and apartments on the other levels.

Residents and business owners said they couldn't see the fire at first because of a thick cloud spoke.

"Smoke is going and going from the top of the building, and we were shocked," one resident said.

About 90 city firefighters were battling the blaze, and three of them suffered minor injuries.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Rivers said it apparently originated in a second-floor apartment and displaced 22 residents overall.

Authorities had closed off several major streets in the city's downtown area, causing major delays for commuters and people who were headed out for the holidays.

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