A vacant two-story building went up in flames in South Richmond Hill on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 29.
The fire began at the back of house, which is located at 105-04 133 St., at about 10:48 p.m. and quickly became a two-alarm fire, according to FDNY officials.
The first arriving units encountered heavy fire, and were hampered by a heavy clutter, smoke and fire conditions throughout the house.
Battalion chiefs at the scene evaluated all fire department personnel operating at the building after the stairs on the second floor began to collapse.
The firefighters then began extinguishing the fire from the outside. Firefighters used three hose lines and a tower ladder to bring the fire under control in an about an hour and 20 minutes, according to FDNY.
The fire was officially placed under control at about 12 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30. No injuries were reported, according to FDNY officials.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
A nearby resident said it wasn’t the first time there was a fire at the location, saying there was another fire there “a few years” ago.
Najari Sigh, another nearby resident, said the conditions of the vacant house “are basically unlivable.”
Another resident at the scene was screaming at an alleged squatter to “get out of the neighborhood.”
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell.
