Apr. 16, 2023 By Dean Moses and Lloyd Mitchell
FDNY officials are investigating a tragic three-alarm fire that left one person dead in Bayside on Sunday morning, department officials confirmed.
According to FDNY sources, the inferno broke out and swiftly swept through a two-story home on 36th Avenue in Bayside at around 5:39 a.m. on April 16. Sources familiar with the investigation stated that an array of objects cluttered the hallways and rooms of the private house, making it difficult for first responders to gain entry into the building.
Three units and over 100 firefighters responded to the blaze, which reportedly engulfed the entire house. Once officials battled their way into the home, the litter of objects apparently obstructed entry and maneuverability for first responders.
Firefighters train a hose-line during a fatal three alarm fire ar 218-01 36 Avenue in Bayside, Queens on Sunday, April, 16,2023. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Firefighters were reportedly obstructed inside the home. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
“There is a lot of thick black smoke, you are going in and you really can’t see anything,” Battalion Chief Brian Deery said. “You are going in, you are searching, you are bouncing into things. It is hard to maneuver and search, so it kind of delays the search.”
Firefighters made their way through near pitch-black conditions and ultimately discovered the homeowner dead in the bathroom. The person’s identity has not yet been released, and their exact cause of death is under investigation by the fire marshal’s office.
“We had hose lines stretched on the first floor, second floor and rear,” Chief Deery said. “There is a lot of heavy fire damage.”
FDNY sources said the fire was extinguished at 7:22 a.m., leaving the house as a charred husk and revealing just how cluttered the residence was with objects strewn haphazardly about.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Over 135 firefighters operated at a fatal three alarm fire at 218-01 36 Avenue. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)