Fire hospitalizes 1 person, kills 2 pets inside multifamily home in Clifton

A large fire destroyed a multifamily home in Passaic County, sending at least one person to the hospital and killing some family pets.
The fire started around 1:30 p.m. Thursday inside of the three-story home on the 400 block of Lexington Avenue. Bright orange flames could be seen shooting out of the windows and the roof of the home.
Seven people who were living on the third floor of the home were able to escape the fire. They said that they began to smell smoke coming from the second floor, so they evacuated. But they said that they had to leave in such a rush that they were not able to rescue all of their cats.
A dog is also believed to have been killed.
Firefighters rescued a woman living on the second floor of the home. She was taken to the hospital, but the extent of her injuries was unclear.
No one was home on the first floor, according to neighbors.
The fire also damaged an adjacent building, but no one was inside at the time.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. But neighbors tell News 12 New Jersey that they believed that the fire started on the second floor. They say that there have been fires on that floor previously.
The American Red Cross has responded to help displaced residents.