Eyewitness News is told the fire began on the eastern side of the three-story apartment building and spread to the other side.
Heavy flames shot through the roof of the structure.
Officials say numerous residents, more than 25, escaped the flames uninjured. They were being housed by the American Red Cross.
Three firefighters sustained injuries battling the blaze, including one with a blood pressure problem.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
NEW YORK AND TRI-STATE AREA NEWS
USEFUL LINKS: