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Fire Displaces 32 Families In Griffith, Indiana

GRIFFITH, Ind. (CBS) -- An extra-alarm fire broke out early Sunday in Griffith, Indiana, leaving one firefighter injured and 32 families homeless right before the New Year.

Griffith firefighters were called around 3:55 a.m. for the fire at 1740 Dylane Dr. The fire was quickly raised to a second alarm for more manpower and equipment.

"I just remember waking us up at 4 o'clock in the morning, and all of a sudden, just big fire on the roof," building resident Laura Fountain told CBS 2's Steven Graves.

"I've never seen nothing like it," another woman said. "Just burning from the top."

Firefighters worked for about three hours to put out the fire, according to Deputy Fire Chief Don Hill. A total of 10 area fire departments provided assistance.

In all, 32 families were displaced, the fire department said. Both property manager Bayshore Properties and the American Red Cross were working together to find housing for the affected residents.

In daylight after the fire, residents were left with the unthinkable task of clearing out their homes – lugging out electronics and clothes stuffed in trash bags.

"It's just messed up," one man said.

Many of the residents walked out stone-faced – shocked at what they had experienced hours earlier.

Fountain said the three-bedroom apartment where she lives with her family of seven sustained water and smoke damage, but not fire damage. Still, she and her family are displaced and what was to happen next was up in the air Sunday afternoon.

"The only thing that they paid for is two nights in a hotel," Fountain said. "That's all we've got for right now. We don't know what's happening after that."

One firefighter rolled an ankle, officials said. He was treated and released from Munster Community Hospital in Munster.

The fire investigation has been turned over to the Indiana State Fire Marshal's office, according to Hill. Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire started in apartment 1D in the building, in a utility room that has laundry and HVAC equipment.

The fire was so hard to put out because the flames spread through the wall, officials said.

Hill said there were working smoke and fire detectors in the building, but no sprinklers.

The same was the case for a nearby building that went in flames in November. A person was killed in that fire on Reyome Drive, which officials believe was also an accident.

"I don't how to feel or what to feel," Fountain said. "This has never happened to me before."

Griffith fire officials said sprinklers were not required to be installed when the apartments were built.

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