Troy

Gasoline was used to set fire to a Lansingburgh apartment building Friday and authorities say they have a video showing two men and a woman bolting from the building as it burned.

Fire Capt. Rich Caola and Firefighter Kirk Ratigan carried an 80-year-old woman out of 520 Second Ave. during the 3 a.m. blaze. She was having a heart attack but firefighters were able to revive her and sent her to the hospital.

This was the city's 14th suspicious fire in Lansingburgh since July. It was the fourth arson this year and the first to have occurred in two months.

Neighbors said someone poured gasoline in the hallway in front of a second-story apartment's entrance and set it on fire, authorities familiar with the investigation confirmed later Friday. The authorities said the fire may have targeted a specific resident in the building.

Neighbors said they heard an explosion before the flames started spreading. The fire jumped next door to 518 Second Ave. The fire displaced 13 people in the two buildings, which are between 113th and 114th streets.

"It's arson," said Mary Teal, who lives at 518 Second Ave. and was driven out of her apartment by the fire.

Authorities confirmed that another neighbor gave them a video that shows two men and a woman running from the building.

The woman rescued from the building was taken to a local hospital. Her condition was unclear.

The city's Arson Task Force has been investigating a series of suspicious fires that hit Lansingburgh since July 2014. Authorities said the investigation has gone through a list of potential suspects and they've identified at least one "person of interest."

The string of arson fires have all been set in the early morning hours. The fires generally have been lit at vacant buildings at the rear of the structures.

Task force members were at the scene throughout the day Friday. They met later in the day to discuss this fire and how it may fit into their ongoing investigation.

"The investigation is progressing. We have several leads," said Capt. Dan DeWolf, a police department spokesman.

City firefighters, police and state investigators could be seen going in and out of 520 Second Ave. Specially trained dogs were brought in to seek evidence in the burned-out building.

State fire investigators carried shovelfuls of debris out of the apartment building to examine.

The fire extensively damaged the two, three-story multi-unit buildings. Except for the elderly woman, who suffered cardiac arrest, no other injuries were reported.

The Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross provided emergency assistance to the 13 residents.

Councilwoman Erin Sullivan-Teta, who lives in the neighborhood, arranged aid for the residents Friday. She helped obtain furniture and clothing.

Operation SNIP provided tempory homes for three cats.

Donations of clothing and personal items to assist the families will be collected at the Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club, 501 Fourth Ave., beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.

Bob Gardinier contributed to this report.kcrowe@timesunion.com • 518-454-5084 • @KennethCrowe