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The blaze occurred in Rockland County around 9:30 p.m., Monday, April 22, at the Surrey Carlton Apartments on Ewing Avenue in Spring Valley.
According to the Spring Valley Police and Mark Lieb of Rockland Video Productions, officers found a fire with heavy flames and smoke coming from the living room of a top-floor apartment.
Police told Lieb that a woman was trapped unconscious inside, suffering from smoke inhalation. Unidentified neighbors brought her downstairs to safety. She was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.
He added that a firefighter was also injured after debris fell on his head in a stairwell. The firefighter was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Lieb reported that the fire spread to nearby apartments, and smoke spread through the apartments' attics to other units, affecting some 20 units. Two units suffered extensive damage.
In all, 50 people were left homeless, with the Red Cross working to find temporary housing, police said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Spring Valley Police at 845-356-7400.
This is the second fire at the complex in the last two months. Lieb said the last fire on Monday, Feb. 26, left 63 adults and 23 children homeless.
The Spring Valley Fire Department was assisted by:
- West Haverstraw Fire Department
- West Nyack Fire Department
- Red Cross
- Spring Hill EMS
- Rockland Paramedic Services
- Rockland County Sheriff's Office
- New York State Police
- Ramapo Police
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