NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Twenty-one people were injured, including 16 firefighters, and hundreds more were displaced in an eight-alarm apartment building fire in Queens Tuesday, the FDNY said.
The fire broke out on the top floor of a six-story building at 89-07 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights around 1 p.m., according to the FDNY.
Over 350 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene.
"The fire spread rapidly through the cockloft and consumed one side of the building," Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Gala said.
The blaze escalated to a six-alarm fire by around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and had been deemed an eight-alarm fire by around 7 p.m. before it was brought under control around 12:20 a.m. Wednesday, the FDNY said.
Twenty-one people, including 16 firefighters, were taken to area hospitals. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
The FDNY said 90 families, or about 240 civilians, were displaced in the fire.
It wasn't immediately clear what sparked the blaze. An investigation is ongoing.
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said someone fled their burning apartment without closing the door behind them.
"The door was left open," Nigro said. "The occupant fled and left the door open. We've stressed over the years the seriousness of that. If you do unfortunately have a fire in your home, it's important to close that door because the fire spreads out into the hallway and units are unable to make a quick advance. What we see here is now a 7-alarm that could possibly have been avoided."
