MACEDON, N.Y. — A total of 38 families were displaced, many losing everything, after a large fire tore through their apartment building in Macedon on Monday.

The Wayne County community is now rallying around their neighbors trying to help.

The fire broke out around 2 p.m. on West Street, next to the Palmyra-Macedon Intermediate School. The flames started up again Tuesday morning in the already-gutted apartment building. About half the building is destroyed and everyone living in it was displaced.

One man discussed what he saw when the flames started.

“By the time I got down here, it was engulfed pretty good," said Timothy Peper of Macedon. "I went through the back door to let these people’s cats out, but the smoke overwhelmed me. Other than that, I didn’t see too much going on other than people standing around, firemen. I mean, there’s nothing you can do. It’s engulfed.”

Nick Remillard, a volunteer firefighter for the South Macedon Volunteer fire department, says he was at his job in Victor when he got a call that a fire was at his address.

He lived there with his 13-year-old son, five-year-old daughter and their mom. He says his son was in school, but his daughter and her mom barely made it out. He's thankful they are safe but is still mourning the loss of irreplaceable items.

"[The items that were lost were] stuff that my mom gave me,” he said. “But I know that she has more stuff that can be replaced. But just memories. Photos, collector stuff that she's had since she was a kid."

His mom has stage four breast cancer, so losing these things hurt the most out of everything that is now gone. Remillard's sister started a fundraiser on Facebook to get clothes, shoes, and household items for his family.

"I got my brother and my sister and the firehouse to back me up,” he said. “And that's what they do. I got other fire departments helping me out and helping everybody else out."

Donations for the families are being accepted Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Palmyra-Macedon Primary School. Items being requested include baby clothes, baby bottles, children's and adult clothing, toothbrushes, body wash and shampoo.

The Red Cross says it is providing immediate emergency assistance to the residents displaced.

The fire caused the Pal-Mac Intermediate School to be dismissed late on Monday. The school will be closed on Tuesday as this scene continues to be cleaned up and investigated.