People escape from house fire on Jay Street

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A house fire on Jay Street near Orchard Street on Thursday morning took 45 minutes to bring under control. Everyone inside the two-story house on the city’s west side was able to escape safely before firefighters arrived.

The Rochester Fire Department responded just before 12:30 a.m. and got the initial report of people trapped. Firefighters searched and found ho one inside the home.

Crews used multiple hand lines to stop the fire from spreading through the entire house. They say the fire started on the second floor and spread to the attic. However, the house’s second floor was seriously damaged, with mostly water damage to the first floor.

RFD says the cause of the fire appears to be electrical but it’s still under investigation. The Red Cross is helping three people who need housing because of the fire. RG&E shut off the home’s gas and electric while crews fought the fire. No one was injured.