4 firefighters hurt while battling large blaze in New Haven

Four firefighters were injured while battling a garage fire in New Haven on Thursday afternoon.

Several firefighters and fire vehicles responded to the area of Chapel Street in New Haven and video from Drone Ranger shows heavy smoke at the scene.

Assistant Fire Chief Dan Coughlin said they were called to the area at about 1:20 p.m. Responding crews encountered heavy fire and were forced back due to the heat.

Crews said the entire second floor has collapsed, sending everything inside crashing down.

Coughlin said four firefighters sustained minor injuries - two have back injuries and two were treated for heat exhaustion, according to authorities. They've all since been released from the hospital.

One occupant was also hurt and treated at the scene. Firefighters said there are two multi-family homes behind the building where the fire broke out, and they were both evacuated.

NBC Connecticut

The garage was filled with appliances and air conditioning units, according to Coughlin.

“The crews did an incredible job. But with the hot weather we had to go to multiple alarms. The building is compromised. So we are keeping a secure zone around it," Coughlin said.

Tanya Perez was home at the time with her four kids. Their apartment was just feet from the flames.

"I see my kids. Think about all my kids and I see smoke inside the apartment. That's when I start thinking to come out," Perez said.

Their family was among those forced to leave two multi-family homes for hours. Nearby, the fire ripped through an appliance repair shop in the city's Fair Haven neighborhood.

"I was shocked. It was a lot of fire," said Krystal Crespo of New Haven. "I have never seen a fire like this."

Crews are at the scene investigating. Multiple fire departments responded to the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.