As Atlantic Cilty firefighters battled a 3-alarm blaze on Tuesday night, two of the firefighters were told to go home.

Fire fighters at a 3 alarm fire in Atlantic City
Fire fighters at a 3 alarm fire in Atlantic City (YouTube)
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According to the Press of Atlantic City, Battalion Chiefs Robert Macready and Kevin Bennett were scheduled to begin their retirement on Wednesday, Oct. 1 and had turned in their paperwork. As the clock struck midnight and the blaze that displaced 17 people burned, they were ordered to leave.

Chief Dennis Brooks told the newspaper every firefighter wants to end their career doing their job. Brooks did not return a phone call for additional comment.

Macready served 41 years as a firefighter and Bennett spent more than 31 years with the department.

Wind-whipped flames swept through the stores and apartments, destroying them.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report

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