NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A five-alarm fire that injured 14 people and displaced hundreds of residents in Sunnyside, Queens, on Wednesday was sparked by a contractor using a blowtorch to remove paint from a door, the FDNY said.
The fire, which began around 12 p.m. on the top floor of a 6-story residential building at 43-09 47th Ave. quickly escalated as firefighters battled the flames.
"A contractor was using a torch to heat lead paint off a metal closet door frame in the vacant apartment," the FDNY said. "The worker noticed smoke coming from the door frame."
The worker, after removing plaster around the door frame, noticed small flames on the wood studs and attempted to extinguish them with a bucket of water.
Shortly after, a Captain of Engine 325 arrived and asked about a fire, and was shown the charred wood studs by the worker.
The captain noticed that the fire had spread further into the walls and ordered the worker to evacuate. Soon after, it was reported that the fire had reached the cockloft and was spreading across the roof, according to the FDNY.
Over 130 firefighters responded to the scene with flames visibly pouring out of the windows of the 6th floor.
All of the victims' injuries were non-life-threatening, according to the FDNY.
“We did have a firefighter who was transported to the hospital in serious but stable condition,” a FDNY spokesperson said
Some residents were taken to local hospitals for minor injuries while they were displaced.
The Red Cross is on the scene and established an emergency help center at a nearby school for the families displaced by the fire.
“We’ll be here for quite some time ensuring that any remaining flames are extinguished and conduct secondary searches and then working with our partners to make sure the situation is stabilized,” the FDNY said.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.