Tuesday, July 6, 2010

3-alarm fire in Astoria


From Eyewitness News:

Firefighters battled heat exhaustion and dehydration as they fought the flames in Queens today.

"This is about the worst conditions firefighters will face," one firefighter said.

A routine apartment fire in Astoria became an exercise in exhaustion as firefighters laden down with gear struggled to keep cool.

"The gear is very heavy. It keeps the heat in, so the operational time of our firefighters is reduced significantly,"

The Fire Department says it took nearly an hour and a half to get the fire under control. It spread among a group of two-story buildings sharing a roof. No civilians were injured.

The fire department rolled out extra resources, like a massive fan to blow refreshing mist at weary rescuers. Still, 18 of them needed treatment for heat exhaustion.

The firefighters were brought to Elmhurst Hospital Center for treatment.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Slow news day. And I love how he doesn't say where the fire was in Astoria - as if there is only one stoplight in the entire nabe or something.

Anonymous said...

I was about to comment the same as Joy. There is nothing on this supposed fire anywhere that I can find.

Anonymous said...

it was on 38th street and 23rd ave i was driving by this morning and i got rerouted 3 times to get home it was morning around 10:30 lots of fire engines and ambulances it was crazy

cherokeesista said...

Lets just pray that our FDNY doesn't have to enter an illegal boarding house:(

georgetheatheist said...

What's worse? Fighting a fire in 100 degree heat or fighting one in the middle of a blizzard? Man I love the changing of the seasons.

Anonymous said...

How about the electical fire at 35th Street and Broadway.

Gianaris will blame Con Ed while politically connected cafes around the corner have their walls off air conditioning the street - while we are told to turn down our lights.

Not to worry. Astoria is now 'saved' by the new zoning.

That is what happens when some kid that is part of the Albany problem has more cred that a power company that has been around for 100 years.