Nearly two dozen people, including several FDNY firefighters, were hurt Saturday after a large fire tore through an apartment building in Queens, New York City officials said.
FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods said crews were first alerted shortly before 10 a.m. to a fire at a two-story wooden building in Queens. By the time firefighters arrived, flames had fully engulfed two buildings and were beginning to spread to a third.
Woods said firefighters pushed to the second floor above the fire, working through “high heat and zero visibility,” to reach a resident who was trapped inside.
Firefighters battle a five-alarm fire in Queens, N.Y., on Saturday. (FDNY)
The resident was transported to a hospital.
In all, 17 firefighters, two Emergency Medical Services members and two civilians were injured in the Queens fire.
Woods said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
New York City firefighters regroup outside a residential building in Queens during Saturday’s active fire response as crews continue working to extinguish the blaze. (Peter Gerber)
“We want to thank the staff at all of these area hospitals for taking care of our personnel,” Woods added.
He said the fifth-alarm fire, which corresponds to using 250 firefighters, left “heavy damage” to the building and many of the families are displaced.
Firefighters spray water onto a severely damaged residential building during an active fire response as smoke and debris fill the air Saturday in Queens, N.Y. (Peter Gerber)
Woods added that the historic residences were built in 1930 and completely made of wood.
The fire is under control, he said, adding that the cause is under investigation.
