A demolition crew was tearing down the apartment building at 440 Thurston Road Monday night after a devastating fire swept through the building Monday morning.
Five alarms were called and 76 firefighters from around the city spent all day battling the blaze, still dousing hot spots Monday night. Flames burned through the roof and a column of smoke could be seen across the city. All the residents got out safely, but one was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and one firefighter suffered minor injuries when he fell through a floor. He clung onto a rafter until he was able to drop safely to the floor below.
Nine of the 28 apartments in the 93-year-old building were occupied. The Red Cross is assisting them.
The building had 13 open code violations according to the City of Rochester, mostly dealing with plumbing problems and general repairs; none specifically related to fire safety.