Utica firefighters battled a fire that broke out on the 1600 block of Dudley Ave just before 11:30 Tuesday morning.

Utica Fire Chief Russ Brooks says when crews arrived, the fire was live in the front corner of the building and UFD was able to contain it quickly.

"Within a half hour we had the fire knocked down," Brooks said. "We're in there now doing what we refer to as overhaul operations, and that's extinguishing the last hot spots in the building."

When the UFD first got to the scene, Chief Brooks says live power lines were down in the road blocking access to the building.

Brooks said the roof of the building did collapse, but firefighters recognized the danger before it happened and were able to evacuate safely and without injury.

"Initially we had crews inside fighting the fire in the attic, we became aware that the integrity of the roof was questionable, we pulled those crews out and began an outside flooding operation, and at that time the roof collapsed," Brooks said.

Brooks says one person was in the building and was able to escape, and the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

The American Red Cross is assisting two adults and three children, ages 6 through 9., who were displaced by the fire.

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