A seven-year-old girl and two adults are listed in serious condition with life-threatening injuries at Elmhurst Hospital after a Sunday morning fire tore through their Woodside apartment. Photo courtesy of DOB
Aug. 5, 2024 By Bill Parry
A seven-year-old Woodside girl is in serious condition and fighting for her life at Elmhurst Hospital along with two adults, who were rescued after a fire tore through their apartment building on Sunday morning.
The fire broke out in the basement of 68-06 37th Ave. in Woodside at around 7:15 a.m. on Aug. 4 and spread to the first-floor. The FDNY got to the scene three minutes after receiving the call, arriving to heavy smoke conditions. A dozen units brought 60 firefighters and 20 EMS personnel to the block between 68th Street and 69th Street. The fire did not spread to the second-floor.
Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
First responders rescued the little girl and the two adults, who were rushed by EMS to Elmhurst Hospital, where they were listed in serious condition with life threatening injuries. Two firefighters and a fourth civilian suffered minor injuries and were listed in stable condition at Elmhurst Hospital, according to the FDNY. The fire was brought under control at 8:15 and FDNY fire marshals will determine the cause of the blaze.
Inspectors from the city Department of Buildings (DOB) observed extensive fire damage, including an open roof and windows removed at the 2-story, two-family building. During their structural stability inspection, they determined that the second-floor level had been illegally converted from one apartment into two apartments with no permit for the work and they issued violations to the building owner related to the illegal dwelling. DOB also issued a full vacate order to the building due to the fire damage. Con Edison and National Grid cut services to the building.
Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
The Red Cross of Greater New York is providing services to the rest of the residents of the building.
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