More than 24 hours after a building was demolished following a massive fire, you can still smell the smoke left from 310 Franklin Avenue in Hartford. It used to be home to two businesses and four apartments.
"It’s just crazy to see like its all knocked down," said Lieza Hellandbrand, who walks by the building often.
A fire erupted around 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon inside the three-story building. One person escaped the fire and was rushed to Hartford Hospital for smoke inhalation.
Eight adults were displaced.
"Health and human services along with special services along with the red cross is taking care of the relocation of the 8 adults who lost their home," Said Hartford fire Chief, Helene Lynch.
Now, all that stands is the front door of the building.
The people who lived in the apartments have been placed in hotels.
"They lost so many valuable things here," said Joao Rodriguez who walks by the building nearly every day. "Not just money-wise, but sentimental-wise. It’s memories -- just everything is gone… and that’s sad to think about the families going through this."
As for the two businesses downstairs, Lynch said the grocery store and a tailor shop must plan for a different future.
"They have obviously are no longer in business and they have they will be moving to other parts of the city," said Chief Lynch.
Firefighters were unable to do an interior investigation because of how dangerous the building was after the fire, therefore the cause came back as undetermined.
"I walk this street all the time,drive by it all the time… and now I won't see this corner anymore," said Rodriguez.
NBC Connecticut has reached out to the families as well as the businesses. They have not returned our calls by news time.
