A devastating fire in a Queens building, notorious for its numerous code violations, has tragically claimed the lives of four individuals, including a young child. Authorities announced on Sunday that this tragic event is now being treated as a homicide.
The blaze, which erupted on March 16 at 132-05 Avery Ave. in Flushing, has been classified as a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. This determination underscores the severity of the incident.
Investigations by both the police and fire department are still underway, and as of now, no arrests have been made, according to officials.
The fire ravaged the three-story apartment building in Queens, resulting in the deaths of 3-year-old Sihan Yang, 50-year-old Chengri Cui, and two other victims whose identities have yet to be confirmed, authorities reported.
Records from the Department of Buildings reveal a troubling history of 55 violations at this property, dating back to at least 1998. At the time of the fire, 16 violations remained unresolved, many of which were related to illegal apartment conversions.
One particular violation from 2003 accused the building of being modified to exceed its permitted two-family capacity. This infraction was still active 23 years later, even after the property was sold to new owners, according to DOB records.
A visit from inspectors in August 2020 found that the legal two-family dwelling had been illegally converted to include five single-resident occupancies and nine additional beds, according to a DOB complaint.
The inspector had ordered the building’s second and third floors to be vacated, an order that was still in place at the time of the fire, records show.
While some violations relating to the August 2020 inspection had been resolved, several others were still open six years later when the fire blazed through the building, DOB records show.
