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Firefighters Battle 2-Alarm Blaze in Astoria Monday Night

The fire broke out on 23rd Avenue, in a building that was occupied by Lavender Label. The owners of the soap store moved out of the location last month (Photo: Christina Santucci)

March 9, 2021 By Christina Santucci

More than 100 firefighters and medics responded to a two-alarm blaze in Astoria Monday night — after the fire spread from a commercial building to a house on an adjacent block.

The fire began at about 10:30 p.m. in the back of 29-03 23rd Ave. and spread to a multifamily home at 22-67 29th St. The FDNY upgraded the blaze to a second alarm at 10:37 p.m. — which brought additional firefighters to the scene to help.

A total of 25 units with 106 first responders were called to the location, a spokesperson for the department said.

Just after 11 p.m., firefighters were seen knocking out shattered windows on the second floor of the 29th Street home and climbing onto the roof of the three-story house to make sure the fire hadn’t spread further. An FDNY drone hovered over the building, alighting the roof.

The Fire Department declared the blaze under control at 11:19 p.m.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries — and two of them were taken to nearby Mount Sinai Queens in Astoria, the FDNY said.

On Monday morning, the second and third-floor windows of the 29th Street home were boarded up, and debris was visible in the back of the 23rd Avenue building.

Lavender Label, a shop that sells soaps and crafts, had been located on the ground floor of 29-03 23rd Ave., where the fire began. But the store’s owners said they had moved out of the location in February and transitioned to an online shop.

A firefighter removes shattered window glass inside the multifamily home on 29th Street. (Photo: Christina Santucci)

Firefighters check the roof of a garage on 29th Street (Photo: Christina Santucci)

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