HORNELL, N.Y. (WETM) – A once in a lifetime fire that almost destroyed an entire block of Preston Avenue in the City of Hornell on November 17.
The fire displaced nearly two dozen people, and though no human lives were lost, many pets sadly perished in the inferno.
18 News sat down with the first responders, one describing seeing a plume of black smoke over the horizon before receiving the call to Preston Avenue.
One firefighter described the heat to his jacket melting on his skin. Another called it a “once in a lifetime fire.”
The heat, so intense due to the concrete wall opposite the houses, melted pieces of equipment, including some helmets firefighters were wearing.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
