Saturday, February 13, 2010

Massive fire burning in Jackson Heights

From Eyewitness News:

FDNY firefighters are battling a four-alarm fire at a furniture store in the Jackson Heights section of Queens.

The fire broke out at 84-09 37th Avenue just before 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

The fire reportedly started burning through the roof of the one story building, but has since spread to nearby establishments.

The fire has impacted the following commercial establishments:

# 35-59, 35-61, 35-63, and 35-65 84th St -- each of these buildings are one-story commercial dwellings.

# 35-43 84th St is a six-story occupied dwelling, that is next to the fire buildings, but no fire has enter the building as yet. However, residents are being evacuated as a precaution and being ushered down to 35 Ave.

Eyewitness News is told MTA buses have been dispatched for temporary sheltering.

More than 180 firefighters are reportedly on the scene.

There are no known injuries at this time.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Flames through the roof ?
How many were sleeping in the attic with a rats nest of extension cords & electric heaters ?

Anonymous said...

I saw the smoke from the lie while on route to brooklyn.

Lino said...

The problem with these old dumps is that the interstitial spaces are linked at the roof -once a fire breaks through the first ceiling it's off to the races.

There really should be a citywide review of these sorts of buildings and a requirement that they be retrofitted with fire resistant material (cinder block etc)from foundation to roof, or, at least fitted with sprinklers connected to domestic supply.

The crap construction and often unsafe mods of these places puts firefighters in needless danger.

Anonymous said...

there you go again,Lino....

wait for the fire marshal's report .

Anonymous said...

"The problem with these old dumps is that the interstitial spaces are linked at the roof -once a fire breaks through the first ceiling it's off to the races."

I wouldn't call them "old dumps" but Lino's point about the free-flow space in the common roof is valid. Unfortunately, most of the older attached houses are built the same way. I know, I live in one.