HARTFORD - An early morning fire sent residents scrambling out into the streets on Sunday.
Fire officials say at least 50 families were displaced after a fire broke out at an apartment building on Collins Street early Sunday morning.
Firefighters were called out at 3:54 a.m to a 4-story brick apartment building on Collins Street, one block over from St. Francis Hospital.
Shortly after arrival firefighters called for a 2nd alarm. Four people, including a firefighter had to be taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
Residents of the building described a chaotic scene as stairways flooded with water and firefighters ran in to help people get out.
"I went to my window and yelled downstairs and they came up, the fire department heard me, they came up and broke my window out," Patrick Tate said. "The firefighter guided us down the water filled stairwell."
Officials have determined the building is uninhabitable. Dozens of families have been displaced - which may mean as many as 200 people.
The Red Cross was helping to provide food and other necessities for the displaced families at the Samuel V. Arroyo Recreation Center Sunday morning.
As of Sunday afternoon, the Red Cross is assisting 120 people - 85 adults and 35 children.
It says it is working with the city to figure out what the next steps are, and will continue to provide support in the coming weeks.
"Whether it be disaster counselors that can talk to them, or referrals to other agencies, we will be following up with every single family," said Jon Basso of the Red Cross.
