Fourteen people, including a dozen firefighters, were injured when a massive inferno fueled by high winds tore through multiple Queens homes on Sunday afternoon.
Emergency responders rushed to a fire that had spread to two private homes on 93rd Street between Astoria Boulevard and 30th Avenue in East Elmhurst just before 3 p.m., FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said at a press conference.
The flames spread “so quickly” that the blaze soon escalated to a four-alarm fire, bringing roughly 230 firefighters and EMS workers to the scene, Bonsignore said.
The fire, which was in the rear of the building, rapidly extended toward the front of the homes due to significant wind conditions, Chief of Department John Esposito added.
Soon after firefighters arrived and began to assess the rapidly growing flames, some became trapped “above the fire.”
In all, 12 firefighters, including three with potentially serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, were taken to the hospital. Nine others suffered minor injuries, the FDNY officials said.
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.
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