Dozens of New Brunswick residents were forced out of their homes on a bitter cold night because a large fire sparked inside their apartment building.

Several residents showed up to what was left of the building Friday morning to see what was salvageable. They say they are worried that immigration documents, birth certificates and passports were destroyed in the blaze.

"The material stuff we can get as we go through. But all we want is the documents we have in there, the papers," says Jose Salvador.

Alonso Recio lived in the building for 18 years. He says returning Friday morning was painful.

"We lost everything in a minute. Everything," he says.

But some residents say everything can be replaced and they are thankful to be alive.

"We have to celebrate that," says Jonathan Espinal.

The fire sparked around 7 p.m. Thursday in the building located near Throop Avenue and Seamen Street. The American Red Cross says the organization assisted 42 residents affected by the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.