Fire rips through apartment complex in Rockland County

ROCKLAND COUNTY - A fire ripped through an apartment complex in Rockland County on Tuesday afternoon.

The fire erupted at 3:30 p.m. and quickly engulfed all 8 units. 7 of the units were occupied, but only two families were home.

"You talk to anybody from a fire chief to the fire trucks, guys on the fire trucks. It was just a thick black column of smoke straight up in the air. You could see it from everywhere," Fire Coordinator of Rockland County Chris Kear said.

Fire officials said this was a gas-fed fire.

The view from SkyFOX shows how the upper level of the Highlands apartment complex was destroyed by the fire in Nanuet.

"I’m just grateful. I'm grateful to be alive. I'm grateful that my husband is alive because he is a school teacher and he's been home all summer long and today was his first day at work," Janine TooGood said.

TooGood was at work when her sister called her in a panic. Her house is gone, but her husband and dog are safe.

"I bless the almighty he wouldn’t be alive today. I praise god," TooGood said.

The Miles family was inside the complex when they heard a boom.

"The next thing I know, we get a banging on our door. Get out, get out, the smoke! It happened on the other side. The one person that was home in the bottom apartment, they got the brunt of the explosion and the flames at first because that's where it started," Terry Miles wife said. "But then it erupted and billowed and came over to the roof on our side."

"Went up like a matchbox, never seen anything like it," Miles said.

Miles is a recent heart transplant recipient. He ran out without his medicine.

"It just went so fast, lucky to get out," Miles wife said.

Nine fire companies responded from as far away as Mahwah, New Jersey and 75 firefighters were on scene. 

"The fire just progressed to type of construction. Lightweight construction burns a lot faster less time to operate due to structural concerns," Kean said.

There are no reports of human injuries, but one dog is missing. 

The Red Cross is assisting families that were impacted.

This story is developing. Stay with FOX 5 NY for updates.