PERU, N.Y. -
Authorities in Clinton County, N.Y., are trying to figure out why a vacant apartment house went up in flames Friday morning.
Just before 4:30 a.m., 911 received a report the Grand Union Supermarket in Peru was on fire. Once on scene, firefighters found the grocery story was fine, but an abandoned two-story apartment house directly behind the supermarket was fully engulfed. It took dozens of firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. Fortunately no one was injured, as firefighters got out of the home before the roof collapsed. The building was gutted.
"The fire is still under investigation, so I'm not really able to tell you where the fire had started, still trying to determine all of that," said Kelly Donoghue of Clinton County Emergency Services.
The apartment house, which contained a handful of units, has been vacant since November. It was slated to be demolished.
N.Y. State Police are part of the investigation, as the building had been boarded up and did not have electricity.
