A large fire ripped through two Queens homes on Thanksgiving -- but, thankfully, because of the holiday, only one person was home when the blaze broke out.
Destiny Vance was the only person in either of the two homes that went up in flames in Jamaica at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. She told News 4 that she was able to escape the flames thanks to neighbors banging on her door and shouting while she was in a third-floor bathroom. When she finally opened the door, she said she saw a wall of smoke and sprinted out of the home.
"My life could have been lost," said Vance. "And I ignored the banging the first time. That could have been my life."
Fire investigators said Thursday night the fire -- which was doused by 8:30 p.m. -- is suspicious. 100 firefighters were called to the scene to put out the flames.
The FDNY said Friday that an investigation into the fire is ongoing and that the cause of the fire is not yet known.
Vance said there weren't any candles burning or cooking appliances on in her home at the time.
Ralf Faison owns one of the two homes and said he didn't leave anything on in the house -- and had in fact been gone since Wednesday evening. His sister, Cheryl Epperson, said she was glad it wasn't worse.
Local
"(I'm) thankful that all of us are alive, and nobody got hurt," she said.
Vance, meanwhile, didn't mince words about her feelings after the fire.
"Worst Thanksgiving ever," she said.
