Crews were on the scene of a 4-alarm fire in Coatesville. It began Wednesday afternoon along the 600 block of Coates Street. Emergency dispatchers told NBC10 a row-home caught fire and the flames spread to other houses.
"It started over at another person's house," said Arrianna Neylor, a witness. "Then it came over to my grandmother's and aunt's house. It exploded everywhere up and through the rooms."
Neylor says she, her two younger brothers and her cousin were visiting her grandmother before the fire started.
"My uncle came over next door hysterically, saying 'everybody get out of the house!'" said Neylor. "When we got out of the house it just started smoking out of control."
"It just went from house to house to house," said witness Brenda Miller. "I was thinking, 'oh my gosh, these people are going to be burned out of their homes.'"
Everyone made it out of the homes safely and the entire block has been evacuated. Firefighters were able to control the blaze shortly after 6 p.m.
18 people and eight families have been displaced, according to the Red Cross. The Red Cross also says they are assisting those families. Any affected residents in need of assistance should go to the Comfort Center set up at the Coatesville Community Center at 9th and Chestnut.
Officials believe a stove fire is what caused the blaze. Nine houses in all were affected and five were heavily damaged. No one was injured.
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"The Fire Marshall's office is reporting that they believe the fire to be unattended cooking," said Chief Jim Lentz of the Coatesville Fire Department.
Officials continue to investigate.
