The FDNY is continuing to investigate the cause a two-alarm fire on April 12 that started in an outdoor dining shed on 37th Avenue in Flushing and spread to a nearby five-story building.
The FDNY received a call at 6:27 a.m. on April 12 regarding the fire at 133-40 37th Ave. A total of 25 units consisting of 106 firefighters responded to the blaze, which extended to 133-50 37th Ave. and 133-48 37th Ave., according to the FDNY.
The fires was under control at 7:23 a.m., and nobody was injured as a result of the fire, according to the FDNY.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
A local resident said he was woken up from the sounds of fire trucks blaring as they passed by.
“I went to investigate and I saw the fire engulfing the bungalows in front of the ramen shop,” the resident told QNS.
Councilwoman Sandra Ung said her office has met with some of the property owners who were affected by the fire.
According to her office, several first-floor businesses in the immediate area surrounding the fire were caught in the blaze.
“This is devastating for the small business owners who had turned this stretch of 37th Avenue into a vibrant retail corridor,” Ung said in a statement on April 14. “I met with some of them the day after the fire with representatives from the Department of Small Business Services to begin the process of getting them the resources they need to recover and rebuild their livelihoods. I urge any business owner who is having trouble accessing the assistance they need to reach out to my office.”
The Department of Small Business Services’ Emergency Response Unit (ERU) visited the site of the fire on April 12 to support the local business owners.
According to a Department of Small Business Services spokesperson, the ERU helped business owners by sharing the following information:
- Pro bono legal services: helping business owners to understand their lease agreements
- Financing options
- Government navigation
The spokesperson said the ERU will continue working with the business owners if they are in need of further assistance.