A four-alarm fire ripped through a nine-unit residential building in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood on Sunday, leaving 25 residents displaced and two firefighters injured.

The fire broke out just before 11 a.m. at 48 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and quickly engulfed multiple units and sent thick black smoke into the air.

News 12 talked to a nearby resident who called 911 and banged on windows and doors to alert residents to get out. He didn’t want to share his name or show his face on camera but here’s what he described happened:

“An old man came out using a cane and that’s when they told me there were three dogs upstairs. But by the time I looked up the hallway was engulfed in fire.”

Bright orange flames lit up the sky toward the back of the building as fire crews on top of the building used tools to break through the roof to release the smoke billowing inside.

Newark received mutual aid from surrounding municipalities including Jersey City, Montclair and Belleville.

Families watched in disbelief - cradling pets that they were able to get out safely with them and hugging one another as they huddled under umbrellas in the heat.

“It’s very overwhelming in the situation regardless for anyone here,” said Erik Marrerro, a resident. “Because you build here and you come back home thinking you’re going to lay your head down at night and something like this happens.”

According to Newark Public Information Officer, one of the firefighters was injured after being struck by a beam. He and two residents were taken to the hospital for treatment.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the flames.