6 families evacuated during possible lithium-ion battery fire in Kiryas Joel

Rescuers rushed to help several families last night in Kiryas Joel after a possible lithium-ion battery fire at a multifamily building.

News 12 was given several videos of the firefighting efforts at 7 Stropkov Court from the Kiryas Joel Fire Department showing flames bursting out of third- and fourth-story windows.

Chief Yossi Blumenthal says his department arrived and found smoke billowing from windows. Interior attack efforts were quickly halted as the fire rapidly spread, according to Blumenthal.

Blumenthal says half of the building was under construction and separated from an occupied section of the structure by a firewall.

A second alarm was called. Blumenthal says six families with a total of approximately 60 people, including children, who lived on the other side of the building had to be evacuated during the fire.

The massive fire prompted responses from the Monroe Fire Department, Hatzolah, Chaverim and New York State Police.

The cause remains under investigation, but Blumenthal says lithium-ion batteries may be to blame.

No one was hurt.