Crews from the Rochester Fire Department continue to fight a massive fire at a three-story apartment building at 440 Thurston Road in the southwest part of the city.

The fire was reported around 8:20 a.m. Monday by a passer-by and remained active for most of the day, with flames and dark smoke visible from blocks away. The building was slated to be demolished Monday evening as soon as the gas and electric could be shut off, RFD spokesman Amon Hudson said.

RFD crews found smoke and flames on all three floors when they entered the building, but the most intense activity was at the back of the structure, and additional alarms were called within a short time.

Rochester Fire Chief John P. Schreiber said the fire was "well advanced" by the time they arrived, with fire having reached into walls and ceilings.

By 8:45 a.m. a fifth alarm had been called, and all but two fire companies in the city were dispatched to the scene. Schreiber said more than 75 firefighters and additional support staff responded.

Hudson said that crews were called out of the building around 9 a.m. after a firefighter fell through the floor and the rear part of the building appeared to be collapsing.

"He fell through the floor and got hung up on one of the rafters before dropping to the floor below him," Hudson said.

He was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, as was one resident of the building.

Schreiber said firefighters had searched about 75 percent of the building by the time they were forced to pull out. They worked with building management and the Rochester Police Department to determine that all 12 residents were accounted for.

Flames could be seen coming through the roof, and smoke was pouring out of windows on the second and third floors as firefighters mounted an exterior attack throughout the morning.

The extensive response by the Rochester Fire Department meant suburban departments were being asked to cover emergency calls in the city. Firefighters remained at the scene for the rest of the day tending to "hot spots," Hudson said.

Residents of some other nearby houses were forced to evacuate, but firefighters were able to use water to prevent the fire from reaching them. There were several street closures in the immediate area.

With temperatures hovering around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, a pair of RTS buses were brought to the scene to provide temporary shelter. Red Cross officials were also on scene to help residents who had been displaced by the fire.

Controversial owners

The 29-unit apartment building, known as the Flanders, is near the corner of Thurston Road and Flanders Street.

There were 13 open code violations at the building, according to information supplied Monday morning by city officials.

The violations related to needed repairs on doors, windows, walls, ceilings and drains; two had to do with infestation by unspecified pests. None appeared to involve fire-safety codes.

Tenants told reporters they had been alerted to the fire by audible smoke alarms in the building. The structure, built in 1925, apparently did not have a sprinkler system.

Public records indicate the building is owned by a company that had been controlled by controversial landlord Peter Hungerford, who lives in the New York City area and has been the subject of legal actions and rent strikes at a number of his properties.

From March:Thurston Road landlord's companies have hundreds of code violations, as tenants start rent strike

The city of Rochester condemned a Hungerford building on Dewey Avenue in January, and tenants in two other of his apartment buildings staged a rent strike last spring. One of the subjects of the strike was 447 Thurston Road, across the street from Monday's fire scene.

From May:City taking troublesome landlord to court over code compliance

However, Hungerford no longer is in control of the company that owns the buildings at 440 and 447 Thurston Road and two other locations in southwest Rochester, according to Ryan Acuff of the City-Wide Tenant Union of Rochester.

Hungerford was forced out this summer, Acuff said, citing court documents and proceedings. He was replaced by Brendan Kyle of Webster, who had been a non-managing owner of the four apartment buildings.

Kyle had evicted residents from several buildings, leading tenants to picket his Sundance Trail home, Acuff said. He said Home Leasing, the well-known Rochester residential owner and manager, had contracted to buy the four apartment buildings, and fully renovate them.

Curt Amesbury, president of the company that managed the building, thanked first responders for their efforts Monday. He said in a statement that since July, "current ownership has been working closely with officials from the city of Rochester to make all repairs as required to the Thurston Road properties."

SLAHMAN@Gannett.com

SORR@Gannett.com

Includes reporting by staff writer Tina MacIntyre-Yee