Two firefighters were seriously injured and two others hurt when a floor gave way while they battled an intense two-alarm fire in Elmhurst early Friday morning, according to the FDNY.
The blaze broke out in a furniture store located at 82-13 Broadway just after 4 a.m. on Nov. 18 and multiple first-arriving units were met with heavy smoke in the area. Soon after entering the commercial building, the second floor collapsed, injuring one firefighter who was quickly removed from the location. EMS rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital Center in serious condition.
The fire went to a second alarm with the flames spreading into the adjoining commercial buildings, bringing a total of 25 units and 106 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene. The fire was brought under control at 5:41 a.m. and searches throughout the damaged buildings determined that no civilians were trapped or injured.
In all, two firefighters were seriously injured and two others were treated for minor injuries, according to the FDNY.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the FDNY’s fire marshal’s office.
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell.
