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New Rochelle Left Reeling After Third Recent Fire

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – New Rochelle residents continue to be affected by Saturday’s fire on Pelham Road that displaced 75 and injured several firefighters.

Firefighters resuscitated a man they pulled from a burning building and then had to rescue their own after a three-alarm blaze flashed over in a large apartment building, officials said.

Photo Credit: rafaelmfernandezable

New Rochelle firefighters – with an assist from Yonkers, Pelham and Greenville – fought the three-alarm fire for several hours after it was reported shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.

In all, a dozen apartments were destroyed and will not be inhabitable again after that section of apartments was declared condemned. On Monday, the displaced residents remained without homes after using the Hugh Doyle Center as a Red Cross emergency shelter.

This is the third major fire that has impacted homeowners in New Rochelle in recent weeks, a fact that has nearby neighbor Marilyn Hughes weary.

“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence, but it’s just a scary thought that these keep springing up, especially with how cold it’s been,” she said.

Several firefighters suffered injuries while battling the blaze, ranging from minor burns and soreness to broken bones.

At one point during the blaze, it flashed while two firefighters were inside, trapping them. During their attempted escape, one of them slipped, falling 25 feet to the ground, where he suffered a fractured arm and pelvis, according to officials.

All injuries were treated at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Food, clothes and goods have been donated to the displaced residents by the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and other volunteers in the county.

“We came outside when we heard the [flashover]. It was really deafening,” Joe Gilbert said. “Everyone was really hard at work trying to kill the fire, but it kept fighting back for some time. It was really smoky, but the [firefighters] always seemed in charge.”

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