Dozens of Paterson residents are without a place to live after a 4-alarm fire ripped through a row of homes Friday.

Five apartment buildings on Mill and Grand streets went up in flames in the afternoon and burned on into the evening. More than five area departments were needed to extinguish the blaze. In total, 18 families amounting to 50 people were left homeless by the extensive damage to their homes.

Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles and residents wore masks to shield them from the fumes. Victims were directed to a community center to meet with the Red Cross.

The fire was the fourth or fifth major one in downtown Paterson in several months. It was in an area filled with old homes made of wood that sit right next to each other. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.