The FDNY is investigating a fire that tore through a South Jamaica home early on Friday morning and left 10 people injured.
According to Fire Department sources, the two-alarm inferno ignited at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 on the first floor of 123-60 147th St. Firefighters from Ladder Company 155 responded to the scene as the fire was making its way to the second floor of the residence.
“We had reports of children trapped upstairs and there was heavy fire pushing out on the first floor when we arrived,” said FDNY Lieutenant Brendan Corrigan of Ladder 155 in a statement on Facebook. “We heard screaming so my members quickly made a push up the interior stairs past the fire on the first floor.”
Corrigan said that his team split up to search the building; he found one of the victims “hunkered down behind a closed door in the middle room.”
“Once I found them, I transmitted a 10-45 (a signal that is given immediately upon the discovery of a patient with fire-related injuries),” Corrigan added, “and with the help of Engine 302, who knocked down the fire and proceeded up to assist, we made our way out the house safely with the patients.”
In all, 10 people were injured from the fire. Medics transported one civilian victim to Cornell Medical Center in critical condition and four civilian victims to Jamaica Hospital, two with serious, non-life-threatening injuries and two with minor injuries. Five firefighters were treated at local medical facilities for minor injuries.
In the Facebook post, Corrigan credited the fire tactics of the Engine and Ladder companies for the rescue.
“Everyone was hands on in getting the patients out and they were all where they were supposed to be,” Corrigan said. “The Engine was paramount in this operation because they aggressively knocked down the fire allowing us to bring them out safely. We split up and then came together when the patients were found and we all worked together in getting them out.”
According to a tweet released by the FDNY, there were no smoke detectors at the location. The blaze was brought under control at about 4:15 a.m., Fire Department sources said.
No smoke detectors present at 2nd alarm 123-60 147 St QNS. 3 civilians w/ serious injuries. Fire under investigation pic.twitter.com/L1TJ9Vb1pd
— FDNY (@FDNY) September 8, 2017
