This story originally appeared on 6abc.
Flames destroyed a row of duplexes in Chester County on Sunday morning just as residents were starting to celebrate Easter.
The fire started at approximately 3 a.m. in Parkesburg on the 100 block of Washington Street.
Fire officials say it began in the back of one of the duplexes and spread to two neighboring units.
In total, six homes were engulfed by the blaze.
Spencer Nichols from Parkesburg was one of the first on the scene to call 911.
He says he was prepping for Easter dinner when he first saw the flames bursting from the duplexes.
“Just sad, it’s a sad time right now,” he said. “It was 15 and 17 address on the fire. They had solar panels on the roof, I guess they went to throw water on it, and then right after were two explosions.”
Officials say approximately 80 firefighters were needed to get the flames under control.
“Due to the high volume of fire that was present, the two additional exposure duplexes caught fire. That leaves us with the loss behind us, an unfortunate one on a holiday, of six homes,” said Chief Bryan Gathercikd with the Key Stone Valley Fire Department in Chester County.
One firefighter suffered injuries when he was briefly trapped inside the home.
No other injuries were reported.
The Red Cross is helping 22 displaced residents at the Parkesburg Borough Hall.
Officials say donations are also being collected for those displaced at the hall. Most residents only have what was on them during the fire, and officials say gift cards would go a long way.
Gift cards could be from grocery stores, Walmarts, Wawas, etc., and could be set to any amount.
Many local families have also stopped by with Easter supplies. Parkesburg officials said Dunkin Donuts provided donuts and coffee to the victims, and Councilman Dave Mellima brought Easter treats.
“They will recover,” said Parkesburg Borough Manager Joe Reali. “We’ll recover. Emergency services are in place, and the support for these people will be there.”
Investigators are still working to figure out what sparked the fire.