More than two dozen people were left homeless after a house fire in Chestnut Ridge Sunday night.

Fire officials say crews responded to flames at a house on Chestnut Ridge Road around 9:30 p.m.

Upon arrival, they found there were no working smoke detectors, multiple space heaters and electrical issues. 

Spring Valley Fire Chief Ken Conjura says the apparent home conversion presented dangerous challenges.

"It was a single-family home that they basically converted into a multifamily," says Conjura.

"Smoke detectors definitely would have helped get the people out faster. I mean there were people living in the attic, they were also living in the basement. So it could have been a lot worse for the residence.

"Everyone in the home got out safely, except for a dog that died in the fire.

The cause of the fire has not been released yet.

The people living in the house were transported to the Salvation Army building in Spring Valley and are being assisted by Red Cross.

The village building inspector released a statement regarding the properties alleged violations, saying it had previously been cited for exterior violations, which are currently pending in court, but inspectors had been denied entry by the people who lived there.

Following the fire, inspectors went inside and "observed numerous violations which may have been the cause of the fire and led to a catastrophe."

Officials are now urging people to allow them to do their inspections to ensure homes are safe for people to be in.

They went on to say: "The Village Officers will fully document all violations at 510 Chestnut Ridge Road and enforce them to the fullest extent of the law to avoid any repeat of this unfortunate event."