ATLANTIC CITY — Two Atlantic City firefighters scheduled to retire on Oct. 1 were unable to finish battling a Tuesday night blaze once the clock struck midnight.

Battalion Chiefs Robert Macready and Kevin Bennett had to walk away since their paperwork had previously been submitted, according to a report on PressofAtlanticCity.com.

Macready, who was in charge at the scene handed over his duties to a deputy chief, the reported said.

The three-alarm fire, which destroyed four buildings and displaced 17 residents, broke out around 10 p.m. on Arctic Avenue. No one was injured.

Macready spent 41 years with the department; Bennett was a 31 year veteran. Both retired as battalion chiefs, the Press of Atlantic City reported.

Wind-whipped flames swept through the stores and apartments, destroying them.

The cause remains under investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.