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A four alarm fire spread through the top two floors of a West Harlem building Friday night, injuring two residents and several firefighters.
A six-story brick building at 560 West 144th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, had fire in its top two floors and attic.
The fire began after 8:30 p.m. on the building's fifth floor, spread up a dumbwaiter shaft and continued despite the night's drizzling rain.
Witnesses said about 200 people were forced into the streets to get away from the smoke and flames.
"My roommate called me, my sister called me, my mother called me -- everybody was pretty much hysterical. My roommate when he was on the phone, he told me he had to go 'cause the cops was knocking on the door. They started evacuating everyone from the building," said an onlooker.
"I looked up and the flames were shooting out of the building on the fifth and sixth floor. So hard, so fast and so bright, it looked like the afternoon out here. That's how bright it was," said another.
The fire was under control by 10 p.m. The Red Cross said at least 50 people were displaced by the fire and 46 apartments in the building were destroyed.
A reception center with cots was set up at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. School at 146th street and Amsterdam Avenue.
Of the 21 people who suffered minor injuries, 17 were hospitalized and four refused medical attention. Several firefighters received minor injuries.
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