West New York fire leaves multiple families displaced

WEST NEW YORK (WABC) -- Violeta Velen described the pounding on her door - neighbors were warning her to get out after an inferno unfolded on the 5th floor of her West New York apartment on Friday night.

The fire on 51st Street started around 10:30 p.m. It eventually reached four alarms, and proved difficult to put out. The cause is still under investigation but firefighters said it likely started in a kitchen and is not suspicious. At one point, the roof in a section of the building collapsed.

Even after being declared under control, firefighters continued to battle hotspots. In the meantime, there were tears on the faces of some residents upon seeing the damage. 22 families from the building are displaced. Even those who lived in the building next door were evacuated.

For now, residents are being put up in a hotel by the Red Cross.

"We don't know what our future is going to be. We have kids - we don't know," says Carolina Lopez.

In the long term, engineers will determine if and when residents can return. Those apartments that were not affected with the fire sustained extensive water damage.

Five firefighters had minor injuries. No one else was hurt.