Downtown Binghamton Fire Cause Undetermined

Binghamton police and fire investigators are working to determine how a downtown apartment house blaze started.

Four people, including one child, were left homeless after the fire tore through a two-story structure on Stuyvesant Street Monday afternoon.

Officials were said to be looking into whether there was any connection between the fire at 26 Stuyvesant Street and a reported home invasion incident about a block away on Rutherford Street.

Several people forced their way into a Rutherford Street residence around 2 p.m. A woman was hurt in that incident.

The fire on Stuyvesant Street was reported about 15 minutes later.

Fire marshal Daniel Eggleston says investigators were aware that there was "lots of activity in the neighborhood" around the time of the fire.

Eggleston says a "couple of possible accidental causes" were being pursued.

While the blaze caused no injuries to residents or firefighters, two dogs died. Two cats were rescued from the house.