What to Know
- At least 21 people were hurt in a huge apartment fire in Queens that erupted Tuesday, requiring the effort of hundreds of firefighters and nearly 12 hours to finally conquer the flames, the Fire Department of New York City said.
- The 8-alarm fire was reported at about 1:03 p.m. on the top floor of a 6-story building located on 34th Avenue between 89th and 90th Streets in Jackson Heights.
- At a press conference Wednesday, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said tenants heard the fire alarms go off but waited around 10 minutes before calling the fire department. Making matters worse, he said, the door to the apartment where the fire started was left openallowing for the blaze to spread quickly.
At least 21 people were hurt in a huge apartment fire in Queens that erupted Tuesday, requiring the effort of hundreds of firefighters and nearly 12 hours to finally conquer the flames, the Fire Department of New York City said.
The 8-alarm fire was reported at about 1:03 p.m. on the top floor of a 6-story building located on 34th Avenue between 89th and 90th Streets in Jackson Heights. The tenant who lived in the apartment where it started left her door open, according to the fire commissioner, and the fire spread quickly across the cockloft (the area between the top floor and the roof).
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Massive flames quickly demanded the response of a 4-alarm dispatch, bringing 33 units and hundreds of fire personnel to the scene. The fire continued to intensify and became an 8-alarm inferno by 6 p.m. About 350 firefighters and first responders were still battling the flames into the overnight hours. The final hotspots were eventually distinguished around midnight Wednesday, officials said.
Images from the Chopper 4 show a cloud of dark smoke billowing from the building as smokey conditions were also experienced by onlookers on the street level.
A total number of 21 people – 16 firefighters and five civilians – have been reported injured due to the fire, the FDNY said, adding that many of the injuries are considered non-life threatening.
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There have been 90 families displaced as a result of the blaze, according to the Red Cross. None of the residents have been allowed to return to their homes.
The fire department said that everyone who lives in the building had been accounted for, but had no updates on pets, as many residents said they had to leave them as they escaped.
It is unclear what started the fire, and the department expects to determine a cause in the coming days.
However, at a press conference Wednesday, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said tenants heard the fire alarms go off but waited around 10 minutes before calling the fire department. Making matters worse, he said, the door to the apartment where the fire started was left open allowing for the blaze to spread quickly.
