A house fire in White Plains prompted a large emergency response Friday afternoon, temporarily closing a section of Mamaroneck Avenue.

Fire crews responded before 3:30 p.m. to reports of heavy black smoke coming from the third floor of a home at 856 Mamaroneck Ave., with residents and animals possibly trapped inside.

Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Clampet said residents were trying to go back inside for animals when firefighters arrived. Crews cleared the house and aggressively attacked the fire.

Two residents and a firefighter were taken to White Plains Hospital for evaluation.

Clampet said the home is likely more than 120 years old and its tight stairwells made fighting the fire particularly difficult, with only one firefighter able to reach the third floor at a time.

The fire also affected nearby school dismissals, with schools notifying parents to use alternate routes because of the emergency response.

White Plains Mayor Justin Brasch praised first responders for quickly getting the fire under control and said everyone was safe.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.