Eight-alarm fire in Queens injures at least seven firefighters. Iron works plant burns.
One firefighter was seriously hurt and and at least six others have lesser injuries from an eight-alarm fire at the one-story JS Ornamental Iron Works in Queens. The fire at 150th Street and 95th Avenue in Jamaica was reported around 6:00 PM yesterday and was brought under control at 4:30 this morning.
The building is filled with hazardous materials, causing the fire to grow rapidly overnight.
Fire officials say insulation and melting tar may also have fed the flames, which spread to an adjacent building.
Firefighters were pulled from the building when it became too dangerous to fight the flames from inside.
The building was also too deep for hoses to reach all the burning spots, according to fire officials.
“There’s no life hazard other than our own, so we’re not going to risk anybody’s life to try to put this out from the inside,” said New York City Fire Department Deputy Assistant Chief James Sudnik.
Three firefighters were taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell with minor injuries, including one with facial burns, officials said.
Another firefighter was taken to Jamaica Hospital with a back injury.
“The ceiling collapsed on them,” said FDNY Deputy Chief Gregory Rup. “They got burned.”
After the collapse, firefighters were unable to get to the back of the factory, where the fire continued to rage late last night.
