A fierce blaze, intensified by strong winds, left fourteen individuals, including twelve firefighters, injured as it ravaged several homes in Queens on Sunday afternoon.
Responding quickly, emergency teams arrived at the scene just before 3 p.m. The fire had already engulfed two houses on 93rd Street, situated between Astoria Boulevard and 30th Avenue in East Elmhurst, according to FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore during a press briefing.
The fire escalated rapidly, reaching a four-alarm status, which prompted the deployment of approximately 230 firefighters and emergency medical personnel to tackle the situation, Bonsignore reported.
Chief of Department John Esposito explained that the fire began at the back of the building and swiftly moved toward the front, driven by the substantial wind conditions present at the time.
As the firefighters assessed the situation, the flames’ swift progression led to some personnel getting trapped “above the fire.”
In total, a dozen firefighters sustained injuries, with three experiencing potentially serious but non-life-threatening conditions, necessitating hospital care. Nine others were treated for minor injuries, according to FDNY officials.
Two residents of the homes also suffered injuries in the fire and were transported to the hospital, authorities added.
One FDNY member was forced to deploy their personal safety system, which contained an emergency escape rope, and was among those who suffered serious, but not life-threatening, injuries, Esposito said.
Other firefighters quickly evacuated through the second floor by portable ladders to save themselves as the fire rapidly spread.
“This fire turned very, very quickly, and it became a very serious situation for us, causing our members to have to escape to save their own lives with very little time to think about it,” Bonsignore told reporters.
The large blaze has since been put under control.
There is “significant” damage to two buildings, and minor damage to a third building. A garage in the rear of the building was also destroyed, authorities said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office.
