An early morning five-alarm fire damaged three homes in Bayonne, leaving 22 people displaced along 5th Street, fire officials say.

They say a call came in about the fire around 4:15 a.m. It became under control just before 7 a.m. after three intense hours.

There were at least two minor injuries – a responding firefighter and a person from inside one of the homes.

Bayonne Fire Chief Keith Weaver said crews were “forced out” during their initial attack on the flames due to the heavy fire conditions.

“It progressed to a defensive operation using massive streams,” he said.

Junior Ferrante, Bayonne’s Office of Emergency Management coordinator, says recent weather conditions haven’t helped.

"The conditions are extremely dry, very low humidity – there’s been brush fire warnings going out, even on a house fire, most of these homes are wood frame construction, so they get a little spark, they get a little fire, and they just take off,” he said.

The Red Cross is assisting those who have been displaced. An exact cause of how it began has not been determined.