'Extremely dangerous' fire shuts down multiple streets in Port Chester
PORT CHESTER, New York (WABC) -- Crews are still working to put out a fire that engulfed multiple buildings and closed several streets in Port Chester late Monday morning.
The fire started in a building on Main Street that's been abandoned for several years and quickly spread to two buildings next door.
I saw flames shooting out of the windows and firemen were going up and like breaking the window," witness Antonio Pierce said. "I was kinda worried because it seemed like it kept spreading up the building."
The fire sent thick black smoke into the air.
"I couldn't see ten, like five feet in front of me at all," Pierce said.
Meanwhile Eckerley Encarnacion is the manager of a nearby T-Mobile had to act fast.
"My first instinct made sure the customers that were in the store were safe and my employees," Encarnacion said.
Official said no one was inside of the building when the fire started.
"In old buildings you have pipe chases and things like that," Port Chester Fire Chief Angelo Sposta said. "Once it got into that one building it's almost inevitable it's gonna get into the rest of the buildings."
Crews from across Westchester County worked to contain the rapidly spreading fire.
Village Manager Stuart Rabin said officials have been working to try to clean up these abandoned buildings, but its proven difficult.
"The village has been working to try to get these buildings clear and safe but it's been an uphill battle," Rabin said.
There are several other abandoned buildings dotting Main Street the Village manager said they hope to demolish and re-develop soon.
Investigators are looking into what caused the fire.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts Submit a News Tip
PCFD
