At least 17 families are homeless after fire ripped through two apartment buildings in New Square Wednesday.

The fire started at 2:15 a.m. and by the time firefighters got there, both buildings on Clinton Avenue were in flames. Police and firefighters were able to evacuate all the tenants from the two buildings. Nine different fire departments responded to the fire and their efforts were hampered by the extreme cold.

Fire investigators say they think the fire may have started in a boiler room in the back of one of the apartment buildings. No one was injured, however, the buildings were so badly damaged they had to be demolished.