Video shows moment fire started at Rockland County apartment building

NANUET, N.Y. — An apartment building in Rockland County went up in flames Tuesday afternoon, leaving seven families displaced.

A neighbor's Ring camera captured the moment the Highlands Nanuet Apartment Homes went up in flames.

The Rockland County Fire Coordinator says a contractor was doing work on Avalon Gardens Drive when workers started smelling gas. Fire erupted, and although officials say firefighters were on scene within minutes, the fire was too advanced. The lightweight construction prevented them from being able to fight the fire from inside.

"If you can get to that fire before it gets into the attic or into windows of the apartments, definitely you can extinguish it quicker, but once it gets to the attic, it's very tough to get. It's kinda like off to the races," Rockland County Fire Coordinator Chris Kear said.

The building was constructed over 25 years ago and did not have sprinklers because they weren't required then. The town supervisor says police officers entered the burning building to help get tenants out.

"They tried to gain entry into some of the apartments up above, but the fire was just too intense at that point," Town of Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann said.

Hoehmann says when the building is reconstructed, sprinklers will be added.

7 families displaced by Rockland County fire

Fannetta Glass-Miles and her husband, Terry Miles, were home when the fire broke out.

"All of a sudden there was a boom. Flames erupted," Glass-Miles said.

They ran for their lives and managed to escape.

"The smoke came in through the vents, through the walls, everywhere," Glass-Miles said.

Miles, a retired police officer, is a recent heart transplant recipient and has kidney transfusion appointment Wednesday morning. They say all of his meds went up in flames.

"We don't know what we're gonna do right now. I, I, I can't even think straight," Glass-Miles said.

CBS News New York was told one volunteer firefighter was about to move into the building and had just picked up his keys Tuesday morning.

So far there are no reports of any injuries, but there is still one dog missing.

The Red Cross is currently assisting those families who lost everything.