Update On Massive Fourth of July Fire In Albany

The Fourth of July celebration in Albany, NY turned chaotic when a massive fire broke out at a building near Madison Avenue and Swan Street. Photos that were shared with us show flames coming out of all of the windows of the buildings.

As of right now it appears police and first responders are on the scene and it appears the area has been blocked off, but it continues to be busy due to the area being the part of Downtown Albany where many people were for the annual Fourth of July gathering at the Empire State Plaza.

Onlookers say that it appears like the building is a total loss. The danger is that the fire could spread to other buildings on that block.

This is an ongoing story and we will keep you updated as we learn more.

Update July 5 7:27am: The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time and no injuries have been reported.

Update July 5 2:25pm: According to WTEN, the fire was caused by a flare gun. A fight broke out as the fireworks show began at the Empire State Plaza. At that time one person fired a gun and another a flare gun. The flare gun is what ultimately caused the fire the start. That area of Madison Avenue remains closed as an investigation continues. No arrests have been made.

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Users on Albany's Reddit continue to post photos and comments about what it happening in that area. One thread suggested that there was a shooting and also a fire, but none of this has been confirmed by authorities.

Video of the incident has surfaced on Facebook that shows the house on fire and the police response. WARNING: NSFW language