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Smoky two-alarm Buffalo fire called ‘suspicious’

A two-alarm fire on Buffalo's East Side has left 11 people homeless. The fire broke out earlier this afternoon at a home at 122 Moselle near Genesee Street. It quickly spread to two nearby homes, including a vacant home at 126 Moselle.  The blaze so intense firefighters were instructed to leave the inside of the structure. Heavy smoke could be spotted in downtown Buffalo and from the Scajacquada Expressway. 

The smoke cloud attracted a number of nearby residents and citizens. Vicki Bazylewicz, an immigrant from Poland, lives around the corner on St. Louis. http://youtu.be/EpzbmmPrpDA

"I heard the rescue squad an I jumped to the window and said what's going on. I've never seen something like this. This is new to me," said Bazylewicz.

Bazylewicz watched the smoky blaze in amazement as firefighters poured water on the blaze from an aerial ladder truck.

Credit WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley
Firefighters work to put out blaze.

"And the firemen working like this -- oh my gosh -- how they can handle this. Before it was all black.  You couldn't even see this ladder with the fireman and they were still spraying water all over," said Bazylewicz.

Buffalo Fire Commissioner Commissioner Garnell Whitfield said the cause of the fire appears to be suspicious.

The blaze caused $220,000 in damage and displaced six children and five adults.