A fire broke out Saturday morning in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York, killing a 78-year-old woman and injuring at least 21 firefighters, officials said.
The fire was reported just before 10 a.m. on 41st Road near College Point Boulevard. It started on the first floor of a two-story, wood-frame home in a row of five buildings. By the time firefighters arrived, two of the buildings were fully engulfed and flames had already spread to a third.
Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods explained why the fire moved so fast. "These buildings in this row of five ... they were built in 1930, so they're all wood. Wood-frame buildings," he said. "The walls are wood, the floors are wood, the roof is also made of wood, so fire travels very, very rapidly. Very difficult for us to get ahead of these fires and extinguish."
The fire grew to five alarms. More than 250 firefighters and EMS personnel responded. At least one resident was trapped inside the building where the fire started and had to be rescued from the second floor.
The FDNY said the 78-year-old woman, who lived in one of the homes, died from her injuries at the hospital. Her name has not been released. A second resident suffered minor injuries.
The 21 FDNY members taken to local hospitals suffered heat exhaustion, smoke inhalation, and minor sprains and strains. All injuries were non-life-threatening, according to CBS News.
The fire has since been brought under control, though Woods said the FDNY would remain on scene "for quite some time" to monitor hotspots. The buildings suffered heavy damage and multiple families were displaced.
The Red Cross was on scene to help those affected. One couple told CBS News New York in Chinese that they were grateful to have escaped, but had to leave behind important documents, including passports and everything they had worked for since moving to the United States.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
