Rochester firefighters dealt with two house fires overnight, the first a two-alarm blaze on Burke Terrace.
The Rochester Fire Department says it was a large 2.5 story boarding house, with heavy smoke and flame visible as the firefighters pulled up. Crews got in and searched the burning building, finding nobody inside. They were able to confine the blaze to the initial building and prevent it from spreading to either side. About 50 firefighters were involved and the house was heavily damaged. The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents. The cause remains under investigation.
As firefighters were wrapping up on Burke Terrace, and second alarm came in from Hollenbeck Street and Mazda Terrace across town.
A police officer had spotted heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of a large vacant house. Firefighter arrived and searched the 2.5 story house, but were ordered out because of the intensity of the fire. The roof collapsed, forcing them to fight the fire from outside.
The flames were brought under control without spreading to other houses, and nobody was reported injured in either fire. The cause of the second fire is also under investigation.