Hoboken Fire Ravages Building, 3 Suffer Minor Injuries [VIDEO]

By Julia Greenberg | February 20 2012 10:39 AM

Flames engulfed a five-floor Hoboken building for nearly 12 hours late Sunday. Three residents suffered smoke inhalation and over a dozen were left homeless after the fire.

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Flames engulfed a five-floor Hoboken building for nearly 12 hours late Sunday. Three residents suffered smoke inhalation and over a dozen were left homeless after the fire. The Hoboken fire started at around 7 p.m. Sunday in a building on Washington Street. Firefighters from Hoboken, Newark and Elizabeth rushed to the scene, but the stubborn fire was not extinguished until early Monday.

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The Hoboken fire started at around 7 p.m. Sunday in a building on Washington Street. Firefighters from Hoboken, Newark and Elizabeth rushed to the scene, but the stubborn fire was not extinguished until early Monday.

Officials told CBS News that the fire most likely started on the ground floor in the New Farm Market grocery store, spreading to the five floors above it where residents live in condos. Residents on the top floor were evacuated through the roof of the wood-framed building by ladders.

One resident was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and two others were treated at the scene. Displaced residents are seeking shelter from the American Red Cross.

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer told CBS News that construction code officials will be investigating the fire and examining the building.

They'll be starting to check the building as far as whether or not they can go back in, Zimmer said.

The lengthy fire occurred on the same night as flames engulfed a two-story building on Monticello Avenue in Jersey City, starting at 5 p.m. The second major fire to ravage buildings in the area also lasted a few hours, spreading to the second-floor apartments and neighboring buildings.

The Jersey Journal reports that at least one firefighter was injured in the incident, but there were no civilian injuries.

Bystanders watched as flames engulfed the Hoboken building for nearly 12 hours. Shocking videos of the fire were uploaded to YouTube and can be viewed here. Viewer discretion is advised.