By Bill Parry
It took more than 200 firefighters from 45 units nearly five hours to knock down a stubborn four-alarm fire in Long Island City Sunday afternoon, according to the FDNY. The blaze appeared to break out on the rooftop of DDK Pro Cleaners at 38-68 13th St. at 3:40 p.m. and eventually spread to a neighboring furniture store.
Fine Arts Furniture, Inc., at 38-72 13th St., had minor damage, according to the FDNY.
High winds drove heavy smoke as far away as Sunnyside and Woodside and pedestrians on 21st Street feared the fire was at the Best Western Plaza Hotel across the street. The intensity of the fire caused officials to send out a fifth-alarm for “relief purposes” in order to give firefighters relief, according to an FDNY spokesman.
A hazardous materials team was on site, but the spokesman said chemicals from the dry cleaners did not pose a threat to the public. The fire was brought under control just before 8:30 p.m., according to the FDNY spokesman.
He said one firefighter was injured and taken to Cornell Medical Center, where he was treated for a minor injury and released, the spokesman said. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
