A fire spread from one house to another house in Mount Vernon this afternoon leaving approximately 20 people without a home. 

Firefighters began dousing the fire at 111 North 7th Ave. just after 1 p.m.  There were initial reports of people trapped in the house, but News 12 learned that they were all able to escape safely without injury. 

Camilo Pegana, a next-door neighbor, tells News 12 he was arriving home when he saw the smoke and neighbors frantic. 

Pegana says he tried to help by honking his horn to “get the attention of people to get out fast.” 

Firefighters were able to quench the flames at 113 North 7th Ave. but were struggling to extinguish the fire at 111.

Reporter Angelica Toruno was on the scene. 

Details surrounding how the fire started were not immediately available.