A Spring Valley family is lucky to be alive but is now homeless after a fire ripped through their apartment Thursday.

The flames broke out at around 1:30 p.m. on the corner of North Main and Lawrence streets. Main Street was shut down temporarily while firefighters battled the blaze in a third-floor apartment. The residents of the apartment were at the library at the time of the fire and returned home to see firefighters trying to put out the flames.

Four apartments sustained smoke and water damage and those residents should be able to return. The Red Cross is helping those displaced by the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.