Fire Damages Five Houses in Albany Neighborhood

Authorities say at least five homes have been damaged by a three-alarm fire in an Albany neighborhood where the governor's mansion is located.  WAMC's Tristan O'Neill reports...

Officials say the fire broke out around 8 p.m. Sunday in a 19th-century home and quickly spread to neighboring three-story brownstones in the neighborhood known as the Mansion District. Nearby homes were evacuated as firefighters attacked what one resident called a "wall of flame."

Another resident, Barbara Tibbs, lives at 58 Park Avenue…

“I was in my bed.  I was sleeping and I just happened to hear some noise.  I heard like a crackling noise.  I jumped up and opened my back door and that’s when I saw the flames. So I woke my husband up and we got out of the house.”   

Sound courtesy of WNYT.  Firefighters battled the blaze for hours before extinguishing the flames early this morning. The fire is believed to have left about 20 people homeless.

No injuries were reported. The cause is being investigated.

The fire occurred just a few blocks from the Executive Mansion. Governor Andrew Cuomo wasn't at the mansion at the time of the fire.

Tristan O’Neill, WAMC News.