Mount Vernon fires: 19 households registered for Red Cross aid

The American Red Cross has registered 19 Mount Vernon households for emergency assistance after fires on Gramatan Avenue and on Elm Street, a Red Cross spokesperson said.

All told, 51 people are registered for assistance, including 16 children, as well as eight pets.

“Our Metro NY North Disaster Action Team provided impacted residents with financial assistance as well as recovery planning information,” said Frederic Klein, regional communications manager for the American Red Cross Greater New York Region.

Several people were injured after early Friday’s Elm Street multi-building fire spread to nearby homes, with buildings taking heavy damage and power knocked out to other areas.

It was one of four overnight fires departments responded to. The first started on Gramatan Avenue, about 11:45 p.m. Thursday, less than a mile from Elm Street. The Gramatan Avenue fire started on the building’s first floor, and the fire chief said it took about three hours to bring that one under control and soon after received calls about the Elm Street fire.

Klein said Red Cross caseworkers will follow up with the residents in coming days to help them connect with non-profit and/or government resources for longer-term needs.

Any residents impacted by fire who need help with recovering and haven’t connected with Red Cross can call 1-877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767) and select option 1, Klein said.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Mount Vernon NY fires:19 households registered for Red Cross help