A three-story mixed-use building at the intersection of College Point Boulevard and Avery Avenue in Flushing, Queens, New York, was engulfed in a four-alarm fire, resulting in the tragic death of four people, including a 3-year-old child, and at least 12 injuries. This fire has been described as one of the deadliest in Flushing in recent years. Some residents were forced to jump from the building to escape, while a third-floor tenant luckily escaped harm by not being at home at the time.
Fire Commissioner Lilian Bansoniolei said, “This is a difficult and tragic day.” Firefighters arrived at the scene four minutes after receiving the alarm, but by then, the entire building had been consumed by the flames. Over 230 firefighters and emergency personnel responded to the scene for rescue operations. During the firefighting process, the building’s staircases collapsed.
Some residents resorted to jumping from the building to flee the fire. Witnesses reported hearing a woman screaming, “My child is still inside,” while a third-floor resident who avoided the disaster by not being home at the time recounted his fortunate escape.
The New York City Fire Department received the alarm before 12:30 PM on a windy day that quickly escalated the fire to a four-alarm blaze. Thick smoke billowed from the burning structure, filling the neighborhood with a pungent odor.
According to fire officials, three individuals were injured from jumping from higher floors, three were found dead inside the apartment, including a child. One of the injured victims succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital, raising the death toll to four.
By around 2:44 PM, the fire was brought under control. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
As a predominantly Chinese community, witnesses shared harrowing scenes of the fire and mourned the loss of lives. Angela, an employee at a cabinet store located at 44-37 College Point Boulevard, reported seeing a pedestrian desperately looking for a ladder to rescue victims from upstairs. She witnessed a woman jumping out of a window barefoot.
Another witness, Brian from a kitchen and bath store at 44-35, described a young woman crying and frantically searching for her child, saying she continually screamed that her kid was still inside.
“It’s truly heartbreaking, especially for that young girl,” Mr. Zhang said, noting that the young woman was grocery shopping nearby when the fire broke out.
An employee at a nearby gas station told reporters, “The fire kept growing larger, and we saw two people jump from upstairs.”
Some residents who were fortunate to be outside their apartments during the fire expressed relief, with one resident saying, “Our home is on the burning third floor, thankfully, we weren’t at home at that time!”
Reporters observed the Red Cross providing assistance to affected residents, offering blankets to those in need.
Councilwoman Minyi Huang of Flushing issued a statement on social media expressing sorrow over the tragedy, praising the swift actions that undoubtedly prevented the situation from worsening. She emphasized the importance of every family having a fire emergency plan in place.
Huang stated that her office is coordinating with the American Red Cross to provide emergency assistance and will closely monitor the situation to offer help in any way possible in the coming days and weeks.
The American Red Cross has registered emergency aid for affected families, including four adults, providing economic assistance and temporary shelter. Those impacted by the fire can call the hotline at 877-REDCROSS for assistance.