By Naeisha Rose
All hands were on deck late Saturday night when a three-alarm fire broke out in Queens Village, killing three people and injuring eight others at a two-story private home on 211th Street, according to FDNY officials.
Approximately 140 firefighters came to put out the blaze, which was called in at 11:55 p.m. and lasted nearly two hours into Sunday morning, according to Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Gala, Jr., the citywide overnight fire commander.
“We arrived at the fire in four and a half minutes,” Gala said. “There was a very heavy fire condition in the basement, first and second floor.”
An 82-year-old woman was pronounced dead at Long Island Jewish Hospital, according to the NYPD, and an 87-year-old man was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital. A 32-year-old woman was pronounced dead at Queens General Hospital, police said.
A 53-year-old man and a 56-year-old man were sent to Queens General and an 8-year-old girl was sent to Nassau County Medical Center, according to the NYPD. Police said all three were listed in critical condition.
Authorities said a 45-year-old man was taken to Queens General Hospital, a 34-year-old man was sent to Jamaica Hospital, and an 18-year-old man and 6-year-old boy were transported to Nassau County Medical Center. Police said all four were listed in stable condition and do not have life-threatening injuries.
Engine 301/Ladder 150, a fire company located in Hollis, also known as the Hollis Hogs, was one of the first fire engines at the scene, according to the NYCFireWire Twitter feed.
Fire marshals were investigating the cause of the fire, which is currently not being considered as suspicious, according to Gala.
“I could not be prouder of the way our members operated to put their lives in harm’s way to rescue trapped civilians. But unfortunately, while many lives were saved last night, we lost three people,” Gala said.
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
