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Jamaica Estates, Queens

Three Killed, Several Injured by Blaze in Overcrowded Queens House

Reported Apr 20 at 1:40 AM · Updated Apr 20 at 9:47 PM · 706.0K Notified · 254.2K Viewed

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Summary

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday.

Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic.

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday.

Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic.

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday.

Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic.

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday.

Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic.

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday.

Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic.

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Timeline

Apr 20, 9:45PM

The three victims were men aged 45, 52, and 67 years old, per news reports. One person remains critically injured. Several others were also injured, but were placed in stable condition. There are at least 55 complaints about the property submitted to the city's Department of Buildings since 2003, per a New York Times report. The house is listed as a single-family home in city records, per a report from the New York Daily News.

Apr 20, 12:55PM

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday. Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic. FDNY says exits were blocked, stairways impassable, and no smoke detectors were found. One survivor remains in critical condition.

Apr 20, 1:57AM

Firefighters say there may be more victims.

Apr 20, 1:56AM

Firefighters on the scene say two people were killed in the fire. Two sustained life-threatening injuries, and two sustained serious injuries.

Apr 20, 1:52AM

Firefighters have declared a second alarm. Six people are injured.

Apr 20, 1:48AM

Firefighters on the scene say a house is fully engulfed in flames and multiple people are displaced.

Apr 20, 9:45PM

The three victims were men aged 45, 52, and 67 years old, per news reports. One person remains critically injured. Several others were also injured, but were placed in stable condition. There are at least 55 complaints about the property submitted to the city's Department of Buildings since 2003, per a New York Times report. The house is listed as a single-family home in city records, per a report from the New York Daily News.

Apr 20, 12:55PM

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday. Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic. FDNY says exits were blocked, stairways impassable, and no smoke detectors were found. One survivor remains in critical condition.

Apr 20, 1:57AM

Firefighters say there may be more victims.

Apr 20, 1:56AM

Firefighters on the scene say two people were killed in the fire. Two sustained life-threatening injuries, and two sustained serious injuries.

Apr 20, 1:52AM

Firefighters have declared a second alarm. Six people are injured.

Apr 20, 1:48AM

Firefighters on the scene say a house is fully engulfed in flames and multiple people are displaced.

Apr 20, 9:45PM

The three victims were men aged 45, 52, and 67 years old, per news reports. One person remains critically injured. Several others were also injured, but were placed in stable condition. There are at least 55 complaints about the property submitted to the city's Department of Buildings since 2003, per a New York Times report. The house is listed as a single-family home in city records, per a report from the New York Daily News.

Apr 20, 12:55PM

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday. Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic. FDNY says exits were blocked, stairways impassable, and no smoke detectors were found. One survivor remains in critical condition.

Apr 20, 1:57AM

Firefighters say there may be more victims.

Apr 20, 1:56AM

Firefighters on the scene say two people were killed in the fire. Two sustained life-threatening injuries, and two sustained serious injuries.

Apr 20, 1:52AM

Firefighters have declared a second alarm. Six people are injured.

Apr 20, 1:48AM

Firefighters on the scene say a house is fully engulfed in flames and multiple people are displaced.

Apr 20, 9:45PM

The three victims were men aged 45, 52, and 67 years old, per news reports. One person remains critically injured. Several others were also injured, but were placed in stable condition. There are at least 55 complaints about the property submitted to the city's Department of Buildings since 2003, per a New York Times report. The house is listed as a single-family home in city records, per a report from the New York Daily News.

Apr 20, 12:55PM

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday. Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic. FDNY says exits were blocked, stairways impassable, and no smoke detectors were found. One survivor remains in critical condition.

Apr 20, 1:57AM

Firefighters say there may be more victims.

Apr 20, 1:56AM

Firefighters on the scene say two people were killed in the fire. Two sustained life-threatening injuries, and two sustained serious injuries.

Apr 20, 1:52AM

Firefighters have declared a second alarm. Six people are injured.

Apr 20, 1:48AM

Firefighters on the scene say a house is fully engulfed in flames and multiple people are displaced.

Apr 20, 9:45PM

The three victims were men aged 45, 52, and 67 years old, per news reports. One person remains critically injured. Several others were also injured, but were placed in stable condition. There are at least 55 complaints about the property submitted to the city's Department of Buildings since 2003, per a New York Times report. The house is listed as a single-family home in city records, per a report from the New York Daily News.

Apr 20, 12:55PM

Three people were killed when flames tore through an illegally converted home on Chevy Chase Street early Sunday. Survivors jumped from windows to escape as the fire spread through makeshift apartments from the first floor to the attic. FDNY says exits were blocked, stairways impassable, and no smoke detectors were found. One survivor remains in critical condition.

Apr 20, 1:57AM

Firefighters say there may be more victims.

Apr 20, 1:56AM

Firefighters on the scene say two people were killed in the fire. Two sustained life-threatening injuries, and two sustained serious injuries.

Apr 20, 1:52AM

Firefighters have declared a second alarm. Six people are injured.

Apr 20, 1:48AM

Firefighters on the scene say a house is fully engulfed in flames and multiple people are displaced.

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Comments

Clive_WApr 20 at 10:33 PM

I long to see and hear rational comments, since there’s none, let me commiserate with those who have lost loved one’s and those fighting for their lives. There’s not enough affordable living spaces in New York. The housing available is too often substandard with faulty electrical wiring. The system is simply broken! Sadly more of this will happen.

amdiloneApr 20 at 10:56 PM

Thank you very much for the Heroic Actions of those who helped or tried to help out. Fire fighters are special heroes. Be safe.

g2incApr 21 at 3:07 AM

Illegally converted means it was zoned / permitted for a single-family home- not an apartment style home with separate apartment spaces on the floors. If you want to convert your single family home into an apartment style spaces on the floors, you must get it inspected and permits to adjust/modify your home so that there are adequate exits, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors placed in there. Then you can get it recertified as an apartment home from a single family home. Because people don't want to follow rules, and they don't always get caught right away, or they find a way to skate around the requirements - sometimes the result is destruction/ dess desolation/death. With many people as smokers, fire alarms would constantly go off, which is annoying but life-saving!! Many people turn their fire alarms off, or never place enough in the home. It's not always e-bikes that cause fires, it's everyday weed smokers/cigarette smokers / drug smokers their habits can sometimes lead to fires that are deadly!#RIP

QueensUser447270005Apr 20 at 1:57 AM

Prays to the people in the house

Clive_WApr 20 at 10:33 PM

I long to see and hear rational comments, since there’s none, let me commiserate with those who have lost loved one’s and those fighting for their lives. There’s not enough affordable living spaces in New York. The housing available is too often substandard with faulty electrical wiring. The system is simply broken! Sadly more of this will happen.

amdiloneApr 20 at 10:56 PM

Thank you very much for the Heroic Actions of those who helped or tried to help out. Fire fighters are special heroes. Be safe.

g2incApr 21 at 3:07 AM

Illegally converted means it was zoned / permitted for a single-family home- not an apartment style home with separate apartment spaces on the floors. If you want to convert your single family home into an apartment style spaces on the floors, you must get it inspected and permits to adjust/modify your home so that there are adequate exits, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors placed in there. Then you can get it recertified as an apartment home from a single family home. Because people don't want to follow rules, and they don't always get caught right away, or they find a way to skate around the requirements - sometimes the result is destruction/ dess desolation/death. With many people as smokers, fire alarms would constantly go off, which is annoying but life-saving!! Many people turn their fire alarms off, or never place enough in the home. It's not always e-bikes that cause fires, it's everyday weed smokers/cigarette smokers / drug smokers their habits can sometimes lead to fires that are deadly!#RIP

QueensUser447270005Apr 20 at 1:57 AM

Prays to the people in the house

Clive_WApr 20 at 10:33 PM

I long to see and hear rational comments, since there’s none, let me commiserate with those who have lost loved one’s and those fighting for their lives. There’s not enough affordable living spaces in New York. The housing available is too often substandard with faulty electrical wiring. The system is simply broken! Sadly more of this will happen.

amdiloneApr 20 at 10:56 PM

Thank you very much for the Heroic Actions of those who helped or tried to help out. Fire fighters are special heroes. Be safe.

g2incApr 21 at 3:07 AM

Illegally converted means it was zoned / permitted for a single-family home- not an apartment style home with separate apartment spaces on the floors. If you want to convert your single family home into an apartment style spaces on the floors, you must get it inspected and permits to adjust/modify your home so that there are adequate exits, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors placed in there. Then you can get it recertified as an apartment home from a single family home. Because people don't want to follow rules, and they don't always get caught right away, or they find a way to skate around the requirements - sometimes the result is destruction/ dess desolation/death. With many people as smokers, fire alarms would constantly go off, which is annoying but life-saving!! Many people turn their fire alarms off, or never place enough in the home. It's not always e-bikes that cause fires, it's everyday weed smokers/cigarette smokers / drug smokers their habits can sometimes lead to fires that are deadly!#RIP

QueensUser447270005Apr 20 at 1:57 AM

Prays to the people in the house

Clive_WApr 20 at 10:33 PM

I long to see and hear rational comments, since there’s none, let me commiserate with those who have lost loved one’s and those fighting for their lives. There’s not enough affordable living spaces in New York. The housing available is too often substandard with faulty electrical wiring. The system is simply broken! Sadly more of this will happen.

amdiloneApr 20 at 10:56 PM

Thank you very much for the Heroic Actions of those who helped or tried to help out. Fire fighters are special heroes. Be safe.

g2incApr 21 at 3:07 AM

Illegally converted means it was zoned / permitted for a single-family home- not an apartment style home with separate apartment spaces on the floors. If you want to convert your single family home into an apartment style spaces on the floors, you must get it inspected and permits to adjust/modify your home so that there are adequate exits, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors placed in there. Then you can get it recertified as an apartment home from a single family home. Because people don't want to follow rules, and they don't always get caught right away, or they find a way to skate around the requirements - sometimes the result is destruction/ dess desolation/death. With many people as smokers, fire alarms would constantly go off, which is annoying but life-saving!! Many people turn their fire alarms off, or never place enough in the home. It's not always e-bikes that cause fires, it's everyday weed smokers/cigarette smokers / drug smokers their habits can sometimes lead to fires that are deadly!#RIP

QueensUser447270005Apr 20 at 1:57 AM

Prays to the people in the house

Clive_WApr 20 at 10:33 PM

I long to see and hear rational comments, since there’s none, let me commiserate with those who have lost loved one’s and those fighting for their lives. There’s not enough affordable living spaces in New York. The housing available is too often substandard with faulty electrical wiring. The system is simply broken! Sadly more of this will happen.

amdiloneApr 20 at 10:56 PM

Thank you very much for the Heroic Actions of those who helped or tried to help out. Fire fighters are special heroes. Be safe.

g2incApr 21 at 3:07 AM

Illegally converted means it was zoned / permitted for a single-family home- not an apartment style home with separate apartment spaces on the floors. If you want to convert your single family home into an apartment style spaces on the floors, you must get it inspected and permits to adjust/modify your home so that there are adequate exits, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors placed in there. Then you can get it recertified as an apartment home from a single family home. Because people don't want to follow rules, and they don't always get caught right away, or they find a way to skate around the requirements - sometimes the result is destruction/ dess desolation/death. With many people as smokers, fire alarms would constantly go off, which is annoying but life-saving!! Many people turn their fire alarms off, or never place enough in the home. It's not always e-bikes that cause fires, it's everyday weed smokers/cigarette smokers / drug smokers their habits can sometimes lead to fires that are deadly!#RIP

QueensUser447270005Apr 20 at 1:57 AM

Prays to the people in the house

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