Queens house fire kills 3; officials cite blocked exits and no smoke detectors
Three people died after a fire tore through an overcrowded home in Queens, the FDNY said.
According to fire officials, the home had no evidence of a working smoke detector and had blocked stairs and exits.
The fire had extended to the second floor and attic and these were all living spaces. There were makeshift walls," New York Fire Department Chief John Esposito said.
QUEENS - Three people died, and another person was in critical condition, after a fire tore through an overcrowded home on Easter Sunday in Queens, the FDNY said.
What we know
According to fire officials, the blaze broke out around 1:30 a.m. at the Jamaica Estates home, which they said had no evidence of a working smoke detector and had blocked stairs and exits.
Makeshift walls had been erected in the home, including through the middle of the kitchen, New York Fire Department Chief John Esposito said at a news conference.
Officials also said extension cords were found throughout the two-story home. The cords can overheat, especially when overloaded or improperly used, leading to fires, according to Electrical Safety Foundation International.
"The fire had extended to the second floor and attic and these were all living spaces. There were makeshift walls." New York Fire Department Chief John Esposito
Firefighters arrived in less than four minutes, but the blaze spread quickly to the upper floors of the house. There were reports of people jumping out of the attic window, Esposito said.
People lived on both floors of the house, as well as its cellar and attic, Esposito said.
Four firefighters and four others suffered minor injuries.
What they're saying
"So when our units arrived, they had fire out the windows on the first floor. The fire had extended to the second floor and attic and these were all living spaces. There were makeshift walls," Esposito said. "Exits blocked, stairways blocked."
What we don't know
The cause of the fire was unknown at the time.
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