HOMESTEAD, Pa. — Five firefighters were hurt battling a 5-alarm fire in Homestead Saturday morning.

PHOTOS: Smoke fills air while crews work to put out 5-alarm fire in Homestead

Allegheny County 911 confirms firefighters, police and EMS were sent to a building on the 200 block of East 17th Avenue just before 9:30 a.m.

Matt Brown, the Chief of Allegheny County Emergency Services, says police and fire units showed up within minutes of being dispatched, confirming the active structure fire.

Videos shared with Channel 11 News showed heavy flames and smoke pouring out of the attic of one of the buildings.

Brown says the blaze began in one residential building and spread to two others because of the extreme cold and wind conditions. The fire was considered under control just after 1 p.m.

Five firefighters were hurt while working to put the fire out, including two who reportedly fell through the floor. Brown says none of the injuries are life-threatening.

“The first two injured firefighters had fallen through the first floor; that was early into the firefight,” Brown said. “The other injuries, again, are minor and not related to that.”

Additionally, eight residents were displaced but not hurt.

Brown says at least a dozen fire departments responded, along with police, EMS, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

The weather was an issue for crews throughout the day. Brown said some fire hydrants were frozen, truck pumps, tanks and hoses froze, and the icy conditions posed safety issues.

“We did hear early reports of some frozen fire hydrants, which again, given the extreme conditions could be expected,” Brown said. “Luckily, with the grid tightness of this neighborhood, there are a lot of fire hydrants to choose from.”

The fire quickly spread to Winter McBride’s home next door.

“It was already engulfed in flames when we got outside,” McBride said.

McBride said his entire family narrowly escaped the flames thanks to his son.

“My son came in, woke us up, said there was smoke,” he said. “We got up, got the kids outside, looked up, house was on fire.”

The woman who lives in the house where the fire started, told Channel 11 News Reporter Antoinette DelBel, she was at work at the time. No one else was home but her dog and cat, who both died.

By the time the flames were out, the roofs of two of the homes were completely gone.

“Moving in here was our start and it’s all gone, everything,” said McBride.

McBride said his family moved into the row house about six years ago after they became homeless. They were starting to rebuild their lives and make new memories in the home that’s now destroyed.

“Everything is gone,” he said. “I was so proud. This was one of the biggest Christmases I was able to give my kids and everything is gone.”

The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

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