Latest news with #JohnEsposito
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Queens house fire kills 3; officials cite blocked exits and no smoke detectors
The Brief 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.
Arab Times
21-04-2025
- General
- Arab Times
3 dead after fire sweeps through crowded home in Queens, NY
NEW YORK, April 21, (AP): Three people died and a fourth was critically injured early Easter Sunday when a fire tore through an overcrowded home in Queens, that had no evidence of a working smoke detector and had blocked stairs and exits, fire officials said. Makeshift walls had been erected in the Jamaica Estates 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 department is still determining the fire's origin. Firefighters arrived in less than four minutes, but the blaze in the early morning hours 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. "We are not encouraging, we're begging all New Yorkers to have a working smoke alarm in their home, and, you know, if possible a CO2 detector as well," New York City Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said during a Sunday press conference. About 10 to 15 people reside in the home, including its landlord, second floor resident Adham Ammar told ABC7 Eyewitness News. Ammar was not in the home when the fire happened, he said. "Part of this, it's because of the negligence of the landlord,' he said. Attempts by the AP to reach the landlord were unsuccessful. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Washington Post
21-04-2025
- Washington Post
3 dead after fire sweeps through crowded home in Queens, NY, on Easter
Three people died and a fourth was critically injured early Easter Sunday when a fire tore through an overcrowded home in Queens, that had no evidence of a working smoke detector and had blocked stairs and exits, fire officials said. Makeshift walls had been erected in the Jamaica Estates home, including through the middle of the kitchen, New York Fire Department Chief John Esposito said at a news conference.
CBS News
21-04-2025
- CBS News
Queens house fire leaves 3 dead and several injured, including 4 firefighters
An early Easter morning house fire in Queens killed three people, and a fourth person is fighting for their life, the FDNY said Sunday. Firefighters said the home at 87-25 Chevy Chase St., near Henley Road, in Jamaica Estates had multiple makeshift walls and exits were blocked, making the blaze all the more difficult to put out. The FDNY said the call came in around 1:40 a.m. for a fire on the first floor that quickly spread to the second. The NYPD said three men in the home -- ages 45, 52 and 67 -- did not make it out alive. "These were all living spaces. The means of egress were substandard -- exits blocked, stairways blocked," FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said. "There was a wall through the middle of the kitchen, which is very abnormal, and there's makeshift access to the second floor, which allows the fire to spread much quicker upstairs." The FDNY said four firefighters and four civilians sustained minor injuries. The Department of Buildings says since 2020 its received multiple complaints about illegal conversions inside the home, but four times inspectors tried to get in and could not. A surviving occupant said the landlord charged around $400 per month for a bed, with a shared bathroom and kitchen. CBS News New York tried reaching the landlord, but was told they were in the hospital because of the fire. The DOB said a violation was issued in 2010 for the basement being illegally converted into an apartment, and again in 2016 for work without a permit. For now, the agency has issued a vacate order and the investigation is ongoing. "We heard screaming also. I saw the shadow of one man trying to escape," neighbor Deo Karan said. "One guy jumped and the second guy jump from the second floor," neighbor Sadhu Jaspel added. "One guy, he lose his spine." "I was scared for them, too, because the fire was so strong. They was busting out the windows. It was a lot," neighbor Chanel Williams said. One man is in the Intensive Care Unit, according to people who pray with him at a local mosque. They said he went back in to get his passport and fell. "He took the smoke, a lot of smoke," friend MD Rahaman said. "He's our friend. He was in Pakistan two months. He just come on Friday, I think," Shahen Abduallah said. Another man said his brother, who is from Bangladesh, was one of the deceased. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said many tenants arrived to the country recently. "This was a horrific scene. I spoke with some of the survivors this evening, many who have come to the USA searching for a better life," Richards said.
Los Angeles Times
21-04-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
3 dead after fire sweeps through crowded home in Queens, N.Y., on Easter morning
Three people died and a fourth was critically injured early Easter Sunday when a fire tore through an overcrowded home in Queens that had no evidence of a working smoke detector and had blocked stairs and exits, fire officials said. Makeshift walls had been erected in the Jamaica Estates 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 Department is determining the fire's origin. Firefighters arrived in less than four minutes, but the blaze in the early-morning hours spread quickly to the upper floors of the house. There were reports of people jumping from the attic window, Esposito said. People lived on both floors of the house, as well as in its cellar and attic, he said. 'We are not encouraging — we're begging all New Yorkers to have a working smoke alarm in their home and, you know, if possible a CO2 detector as well,' New York City Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said during the news conference. About 10 to 15 people lived in the home, including its landlord, second-floor resident Adham Ammar told ABC7 news. Ammar was not in the home when the fire happened, he said. Attempts to reach the landlord were unsuccessful. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries. Govindarao writes for the Associated Press.
