Rochester Fire Department crews save person from burning building on Lake Avenue

Patrick Moussignac, WHECTV Staff

[anvplayer video=”5091333″ station=”998131″]

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Rochester Fire Department crews saved a man from a 3-alarm fire at a commercial and residential building on Lake Avenue Monday night.

The fire started just before 7 p.m. in the building that houses the Nepali Food Market & Restaurant and four apartments on Lake Avenue and Cliff Street.

Rochester Fire Department Lt. Jeffrey Simpson said they were met with fire, and heavy smoke coming from the two-story building located on Lake Avenue. What started as a one-alarm fire quickly turned into a multiple alarm fire, and then crews spotted a man stuck inside the building, hanging out of his window.

"Once they started stretching some lines, and getting inside to knock the fire down they had a resident at the front window almost right behind me," Simpson said. "He was hanging out the window, and the Rochester Fire Fighters made a rescue via ladder. Got him down the ladder there."

One other person was briefly trapped on the second floor but was able to get out safely. Most of the fire was coming from the back of the building before it was put out.

Crews extinguish a fire on Lake Avenue and Cliff Street on Feb. 21, 2022.[News10NBC]

"They’re picking up some hot spots, and things like that in the building. There’s still opening up searching for some hidden fire, and things like that," Simpson said.

It took crews around 45 minutes to get the fire under control.

Simpson said the fire appears to have started on the second floor, where there are four apartments. None of them are safe to stay in, and the Nepali Food Market and Restaurant suffered water and smoke damage.

Simpson: "The tenants will be displaced."

Moussignac: "Okay all four of them?

Simpson: "Red Cross is on the way to help out."

Simpson says the Red Cross ended up helping three adults.

Investigators will return on Tuesday to look for the cause of the fire.