13 people displaced after Schenectady fire

More than a dozen people are looking for a new home after a fire in Schenectady early this morning.    

The Assistant Fire Chief Don Mareno says it took his crews 90 minutes to get the fire under control.

Mareno stated that they got a call around 2 a.m. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they saw heavy fire on the left side of the building.

The Assistant Fire Chief told us residences in this building and next door were also affected. He stated that one resident had a minor injury, but no firefighters were harmed.

Moreno went on to tell us that the Red Cross is helping 19 people, including the 13 who have been displaced. 

Before Red Cross stepped in, however, a nearby church was there to offer a helping hand in this emergency.

Rev. Dr. Rod Kennedy, the Emmanuel Friedens Church Interim Senior Minister, told us they kept everyone warm by opening their doors and giving people of cup of hot chocolate.

“We have a brunch every month in which we feed over 150 people and so we have a close closet, people are coming and going. We try to help every way we can help because once again we think that’s what it means to be a church.” stated Rev. Dr. Kennedy.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time.