New Britain fire crews had their hands full as dozens of people had to flee an apartment building at the Springwood complex on Allen Street.
The fire broke out just after 3 a.m. Friday. Witnesses describe a wall of flames stretching up the side of the three-story building, with smoke billowing out of windows and down hallways.
"I smelled something. I went to open the door and a black billow of smoke just came into the apartment and I said, ‘Yeah, we've go to go,’" said Tyrell Hicks, who lives on the third floor of the building.
He and several other residents had no other option than to climb out of their windows and down ladders as firefighters coaxed them down. Everyone made it out safely. Four firefighters were treated for minor injuries.
A handful of apartments in the 24-unit building suffered fire damage while much of the building has heavy smoke damage.
The American Red Cross is helping somewhere between 50 and 75 people who have been displaced by the fire.
The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
