A firefighter and a civilian were injured while the FDNY battled a massive three-alarm fire in Richmond Hill on Sunday morning. Just before 7 a.m., the FDNY received a call about a blaze that broke out in the rear of a laundromat located at 101-12 108th St. and rapidly spread to several adjoining buildings.
“En route, our units saw a huge amount of smoke in the sky,” FDNY Assistant Chief Joseph Ferrante said. “Upon arrival, units found one house and three commercial occupancies on fire. We immediately transmitted a second alarm and units began stretching hand lines.”
The response quickly reached a third alarm, bringing 40 units and 150 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene.
According to the FDNY, the fire damaged a pub next door, a Chinese restaurant next to the tavern and a multi-family home. The inferno was brought under control just before 9 p.m. One firefighter and a civilian were transported by EMS to area hospitals for treatment for minor injuries. FDNY fire marshals will determine the cause of the fire.
Inspectors from the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) issued a Full Vacate Order to the laundromat at 101-12 108th St. and issued a violation due to the structure being rendered non-compliant due to the extensive fire damage and the owner was ordered to enlist a professional engineer to inspect the building and submit a structural stability inspection to DOB.
Full Vacate orders were also issued at 107-12 101st Ave., 107-14 101st Ave. and 107-16 101st Ave., and violations were issued to all three properties due to the structures being rendered non-compliant due to fire damage. Inspectors also issued a Partial Vacate Order for the second floor of 107-18 101st Ave. and issued a violation due to the structure being rendered non-compliant due to fire damage and a violation was issued at 107-20 101st Ave. due to the structure being rendered non-compliant due to fire damage.
The American Red Cross was on site to provide emergency relocation assistance to any residents who requested help and approximately 30 individuals registered for services.
DOB Borough Enforcement will monitor the building for Vacate Order compliance and DOB’s Forensic Engineering Unit will be conducting follow-up structural stability inspections on the properties.
