3-Alarm Fire Leaves Several Homeless In Orange, New Jersey

ORANGE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A massive three-alarm fire in New Jersey has left several people homeless.

The blaze broke out around 2 a.m. Wednesday at a multi-family home on North Day Street in Orange.

"It was scary," resident Wilner Romulus told CBS2's Andrea Gyrmes. "It was dark because of the smoke all over."

Fire officials say it started as a basement fire, but soon spread. At one point, flames could be seen shooting from the building.

"Fire had a pretty good head start on us, got up into the walls," Deputy Fire Chief Frank DeAngelis said.

Joanem Felix says his family owns the property. He lives on the second floor and attempted to douse the flames himself.

"I tried to get the fire extinguisher to see if I could put out the fire, but when I went downstairs, the smoke was overwhelming," he said.

Firefighters spent hours in single digit temperatures trying to get the blaze under control.

"In this weather, as soon as we start pouring water, it turns to ice so a lot of guys are slipping and falling," DeAngelis said. "It just hinders us, it's hard to move.

DeAngelis said there was a collapse on the right side of the building and a collapse of the rear roof. The chimney on the left side the building also fell, he said.

Everyone inside got out safely with just the clothes on their backs, but say that's enough.

"I'm glad everyone made it out alive, that was essential," Felix said. "Belongings can be replaced, but not human life."

Several nearby fire departments also responded to the scene, including from Newark and Montclair.

No word yet on what sparked the blaze. DeAngelis said when a fire gets to three alarms or greater, he brings in the Essex County Prosecutor's Office to investigate.