Fire tears through apartment building in East Stroudsburg

EAST STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Several families were chased from their homes after a fire in the Poconos Sunday afternoon.

First responders say several fire departments were dispatched to the 200 block of North Courtland Street in East Stroudsburg for a reported apartment building fire around 12:15 p.m.

Officials tell 28/22 News the fire started in the back of the building and quickly spread to the front. The building is now a total loss.

About a half-dozen fire departments were on the scene to help put out the fire. The Red Cross was also called to help the tenants who called this building home and must now find another place to live.

"A total of five families are displaced the cause at this time is still under investigation; we're working with the state police fire marshal to determine a cause," Chief Nate Black of Acme Hose Fire Co.1.

The area surrounding the fire was closed to traffic for a time, but traffic is flowing once again following this apartment building fire.