By Kathianne Boniello
More than a dozen people were hurt in Maspeth early Saturday morning during a three-alarm fire that destroyed two businesses and left several people homeless.
The blaze broke out in the Maspeth One Stop Deli and Grocery at 60-71 Flushing Ave. at about 1 a.m. Saturday, Firefighter Jim Long said. It took firefighters about two hours to bring the fire under control in the two-story building, Long said.
In all 17 people suffered minor injuries in the fire, Long said, including 14 firefighters and three civilians, some of whom were treated at the scene, he said. In all, Long said, 33 units and some 140 firefighters helped battle the blaze.
The cause of the fire, which heavily damaged the deli, several second-floor apartments and an adjacent bar, was still under investigation Tuesday, a Fire Department official said. Earlier Long had said the blaze had not been deemed suspicious.
By Sunday afternoon the scene of the fire was relatively quiet, with the building’s windows boarded up and a large blue tarp covering the rear roof. The Fire Department said the blaze caused a partial collapse of the structure’s roof.
Broken glass covered the sidewalk outside the building and the smell of smoke still hung in the air as several people tried to clean out the building.
Chris Sanfilippo, owner of Chris’ Grill Sport Page Tavern at 60-65 Flushing Ave., which is adjacent to the One Stop Deli and Grocery where the fire was believed to have started, was trying to clean up debris inside his establishment.
“Everything we have is ruined,” Sanfilippo said. “TV’s, equipment, everything. There’s water damage.”
Sanfilippo, who has owned the tavern for six years, said about 20 people were inside his bar at about 1 a.m. Saturday when the fire began, but everyone got out safely.
“It happens,” he said of the fire. Sanfilippo said he would try to relocate his business.
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.
