A four-alarm fire that tore through multiple buildings on School Street in Yonkers on Friday night was still not officially out as of Saturday morning.
Fire crews are continuing to monitor hot spots and investigators work to determine the cause.
The blaze began around 7 p.m. last night, forcing residents to flee from three buildings. The center structure, which officials say was unoccupied, was destroyed, leaving a large gap in the middle of the block.
Yonkers Fire Department Chief PJ Goldfeder said the fire is under control but remains active in some areas. Crews are maintaining the scene until the building department determines whether the surrounding structures are safe. Once that happens, a demolition company will assist with searching through the debris.
Con Edison shut off power to the entire block overnight as a safety precaution, but service was restored early this morning. Officials say there have been no reported fatalities or serious injuries.
Several residents have told News 12 that a homeless man has regularly been using the center building as a place to sleep and used a garbage can fire for a source of warmth. Investigators have not confirmed that a homeless person had anything to do with the fire and are reviewing all possibilities.