Queens firefighters had a busy overnight shift battling two serious house fires that broke out within hours of each other.
The most serious fire occurred at 5:12 a.m. on May 11, when firefighters responded to a two-alarm blaze at a home on Case Street between Elmhurst and Whitney avenues.
According to Fire Department sources, firefighters observed heavy fire on the second floor of the dwelling upon arriving at the scene. Once inside the home, a firefighter suffered serious injuries when a staircase collapsed.
The firefighter and seven other colleagues were taken to local hospitals for treatment; paramedics also rushed four residents, including one critically injured person, to area hospitals. All of the injuries, however, are not considered life-threatening.
The blaze was brought under control at around 6:30 a.m. Friday morning. There’s no word yet on what caused the fire, and FDNY marshals have launched an investigation.
Hours earlier, the FDNY battled a one-alarm fire that broke out at about 11:15 p.m. on May 10 inside the second-floor of a home on 71st Street near 31st Avenue in Jackson Heights.
According to WABC-TV, a family of four were removed from the dwelling just before firefighters could begin pouring water on the fire. Other residents in the home were seen jumping from the three-story residence to safety.
Paramedics brought two people to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition, and a third person was rushed to the Cornell Burn Unit, WABC-TV reported.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control at around 11:39 p.m.; the cause is also under investigation.
