TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A child was killed in an early morning multi-house fire on Fourth Street in Troy Sunday.

“Our hearts and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. What can you say?” says Troy Fire Chief Eric McMahon.

A devastating scene Sunday morning after a child was reported trapped in an early morning fire.

“Our guys just do an absolutely fantastic job. The amount of work they did, they should be commended. Unfortunately, effort in this case did not translate into the rescue of the child,” the chief said.

Crews from the Troy and Watervliet fire departments arrived on Fourth Street around 5 a.m. for a fire at one of the residences. The blaze then spread in both directions to neighboring buildings.

“They’re wood framed buildings, they are very close to one another, they have been rehabbed several times, which creates voids and chases,” McMahon said.

Each building suffered extensive damage to the exterior, including to siding and roofing, as well as inside.

“In total, four buildings received heavy structural damage. At this time there was no injuries to any firefighters. It’s still an active investigation, we’re not certain what the cause of the actual fire is,” Troy’s chief explained.

In addition to the fatality, McMahon believes an additional person was also injured.

The American Red Cross is assisting 20 people displaced from the fire, including 11 adults and nine children, aged one to nine.

Crews remained on scene for several hours battling hotspots and assisting with the investigation.