Albany

Earl Thorpe, 78, remodeled his daughter's kitchen and basement at 227 Park Ave. two years ago. "It was a showpiece," he said, watching jets of water and billows of smoke hit her building on Wednesday, his birthday.

"You wake up, you don't know how the day is going to end," he said.

He stood with his daughter – Tamara Thorpe-Odom, a 41-year-old school administrator – as city firefighters worked to contain the flames that would damage three buildings housing 13 units on Wednesday afternoon. Her 16-year-old daughter went with a firefighter to rescue their black lab, Bria, Thorpe-Odom said. Her building suffered smoke and water damage.

Flames from the fire that started around 1 p.m. hit three other structures — 229, 231 and 233 Park Ave. between Dove and Swan streets – displacing 23 people, Albany Executive Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Toomey said.

At 4:30 p.m., firefighters still worked to contain the flames, he said. The cause of the fire was still unknown late Wednesday afternoon.

The wind contributed to the spread, though the investigation was ongoing, he said.

"The first thing you think is, 'did I leave the curling iron on; did I cook with a crockpot?' " Thorpe-Odom said.

About 50 firefighters were on scene, said Deputy Chief E.J. Seney earlier in the afternoon. Although no residents nor emergency personnel were injured, he called the fire "devastating."

Displaced residents gathered at New Hope Ministries Church on Dove Street.

Neighbors dropped off water bottles, and Mayor Kathy Sheehan left coffee for residents and off-shift firefighters, Pastor Keith Davey said.

One girl sat on a folding chair, coloring Kermit the Frog with a crayon. Her father, Wajid Shah, stood outside in the rain. He moved into 231 Park Ave. with his wife and three children about a year and a half ago.

"I lost everything – my first investment, it's done," he said. He said he planned to tell his children that everything was going to be OK, and that thankfully everyone was safe. "You move on and build up again."

The family planned to stay with Shah's brother for several days, he said.

SEFCU set up an account to help those left homeless by the fire and will match the first $5,000 donated, said Matthew Peter, Sheehan's chief of staff.

lellis@timesunion.com • 518-454-5018 • @lindsayaellis